Easy Open Storage Bag Container
A storage bag device is provided to facilitate improved opening of a re-sealable storage bag. The device comprises a uni-body bag container having a set of ring tabs attached thereto, and a sealing means disposed on opposing inner surfaces of said bag container. The bag container may be any resilient and reusable bag with a single opening at the top, defined by the bag container's upper edges. Ring tabs extending from the center of said upper edges are designed to receive at least one of a user's fingers. To open the bag, a user pulls the ring tabs outward in opposing directions, thereby causing the sealing means to disengage and open the bag. The sealing means may then be firmly pressed together to close the container and create an air and moisture tight seal.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/388,035 filed on Sep. 30, 2010, entitled “Easy Open Packaging” and is a Continuation in Part of U.S. non-provisional utility application Ser. No. 13/221,981 filed on Aug. 31, 2011 and entitled “Easy Open Storage Bag Container.” The above mentioned applications are incorporated herein by reference for the purpose of providing continuity of disclosure.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a storage bag container. More specifically it relates to a uni-body storage bag having ring tabs centrally disposed along upper edges of the bag to enable easy opening of the bag container. The interior portions of the upper edges have a sealing means that facilitates re-sealing of the opened container.
People often utilize re-sealable storage bags to protect articles that are sensitive to air and moisture environments, including food products, toiletries, books, clothing, linen and other biodegradable or age sensitive products. These articles can become damaged if exposed to open environment for lengthy periods of time, thus they should be stored in a controlled environment with air and moisture tight seals. There are many types of re-sealable storage bags available to the consumer. The most common type of bag utilizes a set of interlocking grooves to affect a cohesive seal. The problem with these storage bags is that they can be difficult to open. Generally, the grooves are formed as an integral part of the storage bag and the graspable area above said grooves is limited with respect to a user's finger size. It may be hard for users with wet hands or poor motor skills to open such storage bags given the small area on the seal to grip or gain purchase.
Users attempting to open these types of storage bags sometimes resort to excessive force on lower portions of the bag in an attempt to force the interlocking grooves to disengage. This often results in tearing of the bag or a rapid opening of the seal, which can result in expelled contents and damaged goods. If the contents are fragile, liquid, or staining, then the results of a storage bag tear can be damaging and costly. Instead of repeated use of a single bag, a torn bag must then be discarded, which results in accumulation of waste products that can be harmful to the environment and costly for a user.
A re-sealable storage bag container is needed that provides easy opening and re-sealing to reduce the occurrence of bag tearing, and thereby reduce potential damage to a user's property and the accumulation of waste products. The present invention solves this problem by providing centrally located ring tabs that a user can grasp while pulling the bag container open.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Devices have been disclosed in the prior art that relate to storage bags. These include devices that have been patented and published in patent application publications. These devices generally relate to containers for perishable items. The following is a list of devices deemed most relevant to the present disclosure, which are herein described for the purposes of highlighting and differentiating the unique aspects of the present invention, and further highlighting the drawbacks existing in the prior art.
Kindseth, U.S. Pat. No. 2,654,519 discloses a bag opener for cellophane bags. The bag opener device comprises a supporting means and a bag expanding means. The bag expanding means includes an inclined plate, having its upper portion secured to the inclined plate or the supporting means by fasteners. Secured to the plate are opposing, elongated hinge members. Wing members are secured to the elongated hinge members, whereby when the same are rotated, the wing members swing inwardly or outwardly. The wing members are sized so that upon swinging outwardly the body walls of a cellophane bag will be expanded to their maximum fullness. In this manner a bag may be filled to capacity without a user holding it open. This device is used for holding bags open and expanding their shape, not for opening sealed bags. Kindseth does not disclose tabs adapted for receiving human fingers, nor does it disclose re-sealable means disposed along the upper inside surface of a bag.
Sanford, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0059471 is a device for opening unsealed bags. It resembles a small book, which when opened, has the overall dimensions of a credit card. Each half of the book has separate pages comprised of sticky note pads. The pads are positioned such that when closed, the sticky surfaces are facing one another. To avoid this, a cellophane separator is positioned in the middle to keep the pages from sticking to themselves. To use the Sanford invention, a user places the “book” over an open end of a bag and closes it. The spring nature of the binding causes the “book” to open when released. The sticky paper then separates the two halves of the bag, allowing it to be opened with ease. The paper pages can then be removed from the bag and the invention is ready to reuse on a next bag. This invention relates to a device separate from the bags themselves, unlike the present invention, which incorporates a sealable storage bag and facilitates the opening thereof. Sanford does not disclose tabs adapted to receive human fingers, nor does it disclose the ability to open sealed bags.
Muckenfubs, U.S. Pat. No. 4,966,286 discloses an easy open storage bag for carrying compressed articles. The compression reduces the volume of internal contents as much as 50% or more. In a preferred embodiment, the bag encloses the compressed articles and exhibits a substantially rectilinear shape. The bag preferably includes an integral carrying handle. The side, front, and back panels of the bag are subject to tension imposed by the articles. The top of the bag is closed by forming side gussets and sealing vertically extending portions of the front and back panels to one another. A continuous line of weakness spanning a tensioned side wall of the bag and continuing into the closed uppermost end of the bag is provided. The portion of the line of weakness in the uppermost end of the bag is located near the innermost portions of the opposed inwardly folded side gussets such that the bag may be easily opened by grasping the outermost edge of the top of the bag and partially separating or completely removing the corner of the bag, along with the included side gusset, along the line of weakness. Partial separation or complete removal of a portion of the tensioned side panel of the bag allows the coinciding portion of the stack of compressed articles to project in fan-like array through the aperture to permit easy one-at-a-time removal. The structure and method of opening a storage bag does not disclose a set of tabs secured to the top of the device and adapted to receive human fingers.
Hoover et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,911,560 discloses a plastic film bag with overlying front and rear bag walls, and upper edges defining a bag mouth. Pleats defined in each bag wall extend vertically downward from the mouth-forming edges. The pleats, upon expansion by direct finger engagement therewith or the application of outwardly directed opposite forces on the opposed ends of the mouth portion of the bag cause a lateral separation of the edges for initiating opening of the bag mouth. The bag may be vertically partitioned into lateral compartments with at least one wall including a mouth-opening pleat therein. Hoover does not disclose a device to facilitate opening of a bag having tabs attached to an upper edge and adapted to receive human fingers. Additionally, Hoover does not disclose a resealing means disposed along the inside edge of a bag.
Berbert et al, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0254731 discloses a bag for carrying medium to heavy loads comprising a body formed from a flexible thermoplastic film, such that the body comprises a first panel and an opposing second panel, a receptacle cavity formed the first and second panels, an integral handle opening, and an easy-open feature which extends longitudinally from a top seal to an opposing bottom seal and positioned adjacent to a first side seal of the body. The easy-open feature comprises at least one of (i) at least one line of structural weakness in the thermoplastic film, (ii) a re-closable fastener adhered to the thermoplastic film, or (iii) a combination of (i) and (ii). The easy open feature of Texeira does not include a set of tabs adapted to receive a user's fingers for the purpose of spreading a sealed bag opening.
The devices disclosed by the prior art do not address the need for a durable, graspable set of tabs that allow a user to separate the edges of a removably sealed bag opening. The current invention is a bag container that improves a user's ability to separate the bag opening. It substantially diverges in design elements from the prior art, and consequently it is clear that there is a need in the art for an improvement to the existing storage bag opening devices. In this regard the instant invention substantially fulfills these needs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIn view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of storage bag devices now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new opening device wherein the same can be utilized for providing convenience for the user when opening a removably sealed bag.
The bag container has a set of ring tabs attached at its upper edges, and a sealing means disposed along the interior surface of the upper portion of the bag. The bag container has at least one wall that may be continuous and seamless, or may be formed from two or more pieces of the same material, joined along a bottom and side seams. An upper part of the bag container has perimeter upper edges defining an opening. Ring tabs extend centrally upward from the upper edges on opposing sides of the bag opening. The ring tabs are designed to receive a user's fingers. A user may grasp each tab with at least one finger from each hand and pull the bag opening apart, unsealing the bag.
A sealing means is disposed along the inside surface of bag container, near the upper edges. In most embodiments the sealing means is pressure-sensitive such as with adhesive or interlocking channels. The two sides of the container may be pressed together to affect a temporary seal that reduces the oxidation of contents within the bag. To open the device after it is sealed, a user grasps a ring tab with each hand and pulls in opposing directions. The separation force disengages the first side of the seal from the second so that a user may have access to the contents of the bag. The use of tabs to open the bag container improves a user's ability to apply a retrograde force on the seal and open the bag, and eliminates the risk of grasping the sides of the bag to separate the seal. The latter can result in tearing of the bag and spilled contents. Reducing torn bags reduces product waste and spillage. Furthermore, a more robust opening mechanism results in bags that are longer lasting, promoting reuse and a reduction in waste storage bags.
To improve storage of the bag container within other containers, the ring tabs may be stowed when not in use. A tab retention means such as a small amount of adhesive or interlocking channels, is disposed along the exterior surface of the bag container, near the upper edges. Placement of the tab retention means corresponds to the placement of the tabs and is therefore centrally located near the bag upper edges on opposing sides thereof. To stow the tabs, a user folds them backward until they come into contact with the tab retention means, and presses gently. The tabs will be maintained in temporary securement until the user pulls them away from the bag exterior surface for use in opening the bag.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved storage bag container having all the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved storage bag container having graspable tabs for assisting a user with pulling open the bag.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved storage bag container having a sealing means disposed near upper edges of the bag, to reduce the risk of tearing the bag by pulling from the sidewalls thereof when separating a seal.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved storage bag container to reduce oxidation of materials contained within, while remaining easily openable by a user with greasy, dirty or slippery hands.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved storage bag container having resilient and durable construction that is easy and inexpensive to manufacture.
A final object of the present invention is to reduce waste by promoting a more robust storage bag container that eliminates torn or damaged bags from opening attempts. A bag opening means that reduces tears and bag damage will increase reuse and reduce waste bags that may be harmful to the environment.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
The above invention will be better understood and the objects set forth above as well as other objects not stated above will become more apparent after a study of the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes use of the annexed drawings wherein like numeral references are utilized throughout.
Reference is made herein to the attached drawings. Like reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to depict like or similar elements of the storage bag container. For the purposes of presenting a brief and clear description of the present invention, the preferred embodiment will be discussed as used for easily opening a storage bag. This is for representative purposes only and should not be considered to be limiting in any respect.
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In some embodiments, the bag container may have tab retaining means for maintaining the ring pull tabs 13 in a stowed state, when the bag is not opened. The tab retaining means is preferably a pressure-sensitive adhesive but may also comprise snaps, interlocking channels or the like. The tab retaining means is disposed along the exterior surface of the bag on opposing sides. Exemplary placement of the retaining means is just below the perimeter upper portions, positioned under the ring pull tabs, but this placement may vary slightly according to the size of the tabs. When the user is done with the tabs, he or she simple folds them outward and downward until a portion of the ring pull tab exterior surface comes into contact with the tab retaining means. Pulling outward on the tabs releases them from the tab retention means and enables easy opening of the bag container.
The bag container 11, perimeter upper portions 12, and ring pull tabs 13 are all formed from the same material and are preferably monolithic. Except in embodiments where multiple walls comprise the bag container, in which case, the ring pull tabs are formed with two of the walls (each having one tab), and the perimeter upper portion may comprise the area near the upper edge of multiple walls of the bag container. In some embodiments the perimeter upper portions and ring pull tabs may be reinforced, or may be colored differently from other portions of the bag container. But, it should be noted, that the present invention contemplates and intends a bag container of one or more walls, where the ring pull tabs are a part of the wall(s) that extend outward from the upper edges, rather than being separate and distinct pieces attached to the bag container.
In use an individual grips the device by the ring tabs and exerts outward force in opposing directions. The outward force results in disengagement of the sealing means. A user may then access the contents stored within the bag container. To re-seal the bag and prevent air or moisture from entering or exiting the container, a user simply presses opposing sides of the sealing means together. This reseals the bag container and reduces oxidization of the contents stored within. Because the ring tabs are attached to the perimeter upper edges, the sides bag container itself is not being pulled apart when the bag is opened, and thus the risk of tearing the bag structure is reduced. The construction of the present invention thus helps reduce the risk of bag tearing and its contents being spilled. Reduction in the occurrence of bag destruction increases the longevity of a single bag, promoting reuse and reduction of waste bag products.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.
Claims
1) A storage bag device, comprising:
- a bag container having one or more walls, a closed bottom, and an upper opening defining an interior volume, wherein said bag container has an interior surface and an exterior surface;
- a pair of perimeter upper portions, wherein said perimeter upper portions are areas of said bag container near upper edges of said upper opening, and wherein said perimeter upper portions are opposing halves of the bisection of said upper opening of said bag container;
- a pair of centrally located ring pull tabs centrally located along said perimeter upper portions and extending upward from said upper edges;
- a sealing means disposed along the length of said interior surface of said perimeter upper portions to close and seal said bag container interior volume.
2) The device of claim 1, wherein said sealing means comprises a set of interlocking grooves disposed on laterally opposing sides of said inner surface of said edge trim.
3) The device of claim 1, wherein said ring tabs have a cutout sized to receive the width of an average human index finger.
4) The device of claim 3, wherein said cutout is circular in shape.
5) The device of claim 1, wherein said sealing means is pressure=sensitive adhesive.
6) The device of claim 1, further comprising:
- a tab retention means disposed on opposing portions of said exterior surface of said bag container, below said ring pull tabs, such that said ring pull tabs may be folded down and engaged with said tab retaining means.
7) The device of claim 6, wherein said tab retaining means is pressure-sensitive adhesive.
8) The device of claim 1, wherein said bag container and said ring pull tabs are made of the same material.
9) The device of claim 1, wherein said upper perimeter upper portions and said ring pull tabs are reinforced.
Type: Application
Filed: Feb 18, 2014
Publication Date: Jul 10, 2014
Inventors: Angela Weir (Keene), Jim Weir (Keene)
Application Number: 14/182,564
International Classification: B65D 33/24 (20060101);
