WATER-RESISTANT ASSET PROTECTION BAG
The disclosure relates to an asset protection bag for large items, such as, but not limited to, automobiles and boats, and also for small items, such as, but not limited to, firearms and documents. The asset protection bag includes a first half and a second half which can be laid out flat. A first zipper profile of a water-resistant zipper is formed around the periphery of the first half and a second zipper profile of the water-resistant zipper is formed around the periphery of the second half. The first half is folded over the second half, with the asset therebetween, and the zipper profiles are interlocked. Vacuum ports are provided to allow for the evacuation of air trapped therewithin.
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This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/138,163 filed Dec. 17, 2008, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSUREThe present disclosure pertains to a bag or container used to store an asset in a water-resistant configuration. The asset may include an automobile or similarly sized article, but may also include smaller items such as firearms or documents.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ARTIn the prior art, it is known to use water-resistant bags, packages or containers for protection of smaller items, such as hand-held items, mementos, archival items, documents or firearms. However, further improvements are sought with respect to such bags, packages or containers. Moreover, such prior art bags, packages or containers have been found to be deficient with respect to larger items, such as automobiles or boats in that the water-resistant configuration has been difficult to maintain. Additionally, internally trapped air has made the prior art bags, packages or containers unwieldy.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSUREIt is therefore an object of the present disclosure to provide a water-resistant bag, package or container which can be used for larger items, such as, but not limited to, automobiles or boats, as well as smaller items, such as, but not limited to, firearms and documents, wherein the water-resistant configuration can be maintained, and wherein internally trapped air can be minimized.
This and other objects are obtained by providing a package formed from a sheet of polymeric material, such as, but not limited to, polyethylene, which can lie flat, but which includes a water-resistant zipper around the periphery thereof to form an enclosure around an object. Additionally, the walls of the package include a vacuum port for removing excess air after an item has been encased within the package.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and from the accompanying drawing, wherein:
Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like numerals indicate like elements throughout the several views, one sees that
Relatively longer side 14 of first half 12 joins relatively longer side 24 of second half 22 along seam, seal or other joinder 50. In use, asset protection bag 10 is typically folded along or proximate to seam, seal or other joinder 50, so that first half 12 of wall is positioned over the top of the asset being protected, such as, but not limited to, an automobile, while second half 22 of wall is positioned under the asset being protected thereby bringing together first zipper profile 32 along sides 16, 18, 20 with second zipper profile 34 along sides 26, 28, 30. As first half 12 is intended to be over the asset being protected, first half 12 typically comprises polyethylene film, with a typical thickness of 8 mils. Similarly, as second half 22 is intended to be under the asset being protected, and therefore being subject to the weight of the asset, the second half 22 typically comprises scrim reinforced polyethylene. However, those skilled in the art will see a range of equivalent materials. Moreover, as shown in
Sides 16, 18, 20 forming the periphery of first half 12 include first zipper profile 32 and sides 26, 28, 30 forming the periphery of second half 22 include second zipper profile 34. First and second zipper profiles 32, 34 form a water-resistant zipper 36, typically chosen from zippers represented by U.S. Pat. No. 3,918,131 entitled “Fluid-Tight Fastener” to Ausnit; U.S. Pat. No. 4,046,408 entitled “Omni-Directional Fastener” to Ausnit; U.S. Pat. No. 4,199,845 entitled “Slider for Heavy Duty Flexible Fastener Tracks” to Ausnit; U.S. Pat. No. 4,354,541 entitled “Profiled Plastics Bag Closure Strip and Adhesive Bonding Method” to Tilman; U.S. Pat. No. 4,578,813 entitled “Bag and Reclosable Separable Fastener Assembly, etc.” to Ausnit; U.S. Pat. No. 4,660,259 entitled “Twist Resistant Reclosable Extruded Plastic Fastener” to Ausnit; U.S. Pat. No. 4,673,383 entitled “Fusible Rib Bonding of Fasteners to Substrate” to Bentsen; U.S. Pat. No. 4,787,880 entitled “Method of Making Extruded Zipper Strips and Bags Containing the Same” to Ausnit; U.S. Pat. No. 4,792,240 entitled “Extruded Zipper Strips for Bags” to Ausnit; U.S. Pat. No. 4,846,585 entitled “Easy Open Bag Structure” to Boeckmann; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,351,369 entitled “Moisture-Resistant Fastener”. A typical or composite zipper 36 with first and second profiles 32, 34 is illustrated in
First tooth 38 of first profile 32 is illustrated as including a color strip 46, such as red, which is visible to the user when the first and second profiles 32, 34 are not interlocked, but hidden from the user when first and second profiles 32, 34 are completely interlocked. This serves as an aid to the user by indicating which sections of zipper 36 are not completely interlocked.
As further shown in
As shown in
To use asset protection bag 10, the user typically first unzips the zipper 36 so that the first and second halves 12, 22 lie side by side, as shown in
Thus the several aforementioned objects and advantages are most effectively attained. Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed and described in detail herein, it should be understood that this invention is in no sense limited thereby and its scope is to be determined by that of the appended claims.
Claims
1. A bag for protecting contents thereof, comprising:
- a first planar half attached and adjacent to a second planar half;
- a vacuum port in the first planar half, the vacuum port allowing the user to remove a portion of air from an interior of the bag, the vacuum port including a base which surrounds an opening in the first half of the bag, a cap attached to the base by a living hinge, and a flapper which is held in place over the opening by the cap in its closed position;
- a water-resistant zipper including a first zipper profile and a second zipper profile, the first zipper profile extending around at least a portion of a periphery of the first planar half and the second zipper profile extending around at least a portion of a periphery of the second planar half, whereby the bag can be folded so as to bring the first half over the second half thereby bringing the first zipper profile against the second zipper profile;
- the water-resistant zipper further including a water-resistant slider.
2. The bag of claim 1 wherein the first and second halves include a pocket for parking the slider.
3. The bag of claim 2 wherein the first half is of substantially rectangular shape and the second half is of substantially rectangular shape.
4. The bag of claim 3 wherein the first half is configured to go over the contents and the second half is configured to go under the contents.
5. The bag of claim 4 wherein the first half is made from polyethylene film.
6. The bag of claim 5 wherein the polyethylene film has a thickness of substantially 8 mils.
7. The bag of claim 6 wherein the second half is made from scrim reinforced polyethylene.
8. The bag of claim 1 wherein the first planar half and the second planar half each include an outer layer and an inner layer.
9. The bag of claim 8 wherein the inner layer of the first planar half and the second planar half include an antimicrobial agent.
10. The bag of claim 8 wherein the inner layer of the first planar half and the second planar half include a volatile corrosion inhibitor agent.
11. A vehicular protection bag for protecting vehicles, comprising:
- a first planar half attached and adjacent to a second planar half;
- a vacuum port in the first planar half, the vacuum port allowing the user to remove a portion of air from an interior of the bag, the vacuum port including a base which surrounds an opening in the first half of the bag, a cap attached to the base by a living hinge, and a flapper which is held in place over the opening by the cap in its closed position;
- a zipper including a first zipper profile and a second zipper profile, the first zipper profile extending around at least a portion of a periphery of the first planar half and the second zipper profile extending around at least a portion of a periphery of the second planar half, whereby the vehicular protection bag can be folded so as to bring the first half over the second half thereby bringing the first zipper profile against the second zipper profile; and
- the zipper further including a slider.
11. The bag of claim 10 wherein the first and second halves include a pocket for parking the slider.
12. The vehicular protection bag of claim 11 wherein the vehicular protection bag is at least twenty-four feet by twenty-four feet when the first half and the second half are spread apart from each other in a planar configuration.
13. The vehicular protection bag of claim 12 wherein the first and second zipper profiles, when interlocked, form a water-resistant configuration.
14. The vehicular protection bag of claim 13 wherein the first half is of substantially rectangular shape and the second half is of substantially rectangular shape.
15. The vehicular protection bag of claim 14 wherein the first half is configured to go over the large-sized contents and the second half is configured to go under the vehicle.
16. The vehicular protection bag of claim 15 wherein the first half is made from polyethylene film.
17. The vehicular protection bag of claim 16 wherein the polyethylene film has a thickness of substantially 8 mils.
18. The vehicular protection bag of claim 17 wherein the second half is made from scrim reinforced polyethylene.
19. The bag of claim 11 wherein the first planar half and the second planar half include an inner layer which includes an antimicrobial agent.
20. The bag of claim 11 wherein the first planar half and the second planar half include an inner layer which includes a volatile corrosion inhibitor agent.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 4, 2009
Publication Date: Jun 17, 2010
Applicant: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC. (Glenview, IL)
Inventors: Henry L. Swain (Whitehouse Station, NJ), Jennifer M. Copes (Rockwall, TX), Joseph T. Cowin (Goodyear, AZ), Donald L. Crevier (Essex, IL), Owen J. McGarel (Naperville, IL), Stanley Piotrowski (Addison, IL), Michael J. McMahon (Palatine, IL), Eldrige J. Presnell (Round Lake Beach, IL)
Application Number: 12/631,087
International Classification: B65D 65/02 (20060101); B65D 33/16 (20060101);