Patent Application
20140161375
The present invention generally relates to closure devices for bags and the like, and more particularly relates to a twist tie type device that includes a sticky surface such that it can be applied by a consumer to most bags including food container bags such as bread bags and cracker bags, for example. Once the closure device has been applied to the bag, the consumer may repeatedly open and close the bag as desired using the closure device which remains affixed to the bag unlike traditional twist ties. In another embodiment, the closure device is affixed to the bag prior to sale to the consumer and the bag may or may not be empty when sold. The invention further relates to a novel machine and a method of manufacturing and using the closure device.
Many of today's food products come in elongated plastic bags and various closure devices have been proposed to allow the consumer to alternately open and close the bag to access food in the bag when open while keeping the remaining food in the bag fresh for as long as possible when closed. One well known closure device is the so-called “twist tie” which comprises a paper strip having an embedded thin bendable wire. A plurality of such twist ties are typically provided in parallel forming a sheet with perforations between each twist tie thereby allowing a consumer to separate individual twist ties from the sheet as needed. In the traditional twist tie, a single twist tie is used to close the open end of the bag. The twist tie in this instance is wrapped around the gathered edges of the bag close to the open end thereof and the opposite ends of the twist tie are then twisted together. Since the twist tie is not physically adhered to the bag, it may be lost when in the unattached condition. Also, since the twist tie is being repeatedly twisted and untwisted in the same general location of the twist tie, the metal wire and paper surrounding the wire may become worn to the point of paper and metal fatigue and breakage.
Still other closure devices have been proposed in the prior art which attempt to overcome the deficiencies of traditional twist ties. For example, some closure devices are formed as an integral part of the bag during manufacturing of the bag itself. In these examples, the bag itself is structurally modified to incorporate the closure device. This is undesirable from the standpoint of manufacturing cost and complexity. Examples of these types of bags with integral closure devices may be seen in the following patents:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,228,584 issued to Ashton on Jan. 11, 1966
U.S. Pat. No. 3,537,636 issued to Rochette on Nov. 3, 1970
U.S. Pat. No. 6,422,752 issued to Hoffner et al on Jul. 23, 2002
U.S. Pat. No. 7,665,895 issued to Kao Corporation on Feb. 23, 2010
Japanese Publication No. 02-242750 to Ichiro published on Sep. 9, 1990
Japanese Publication No. 08-244795 to Kao Corp. published on Sep. 24, 1996
Japanese Publication No. 2000-326996 to Idenitsu Petrochem Co Ltd published on Nov. 28, 2000
U.S. Pat. No. 6,238,090 issued to Yuter on May 29, 2001 discloses a bag having sections which are divided into and may be separated along horizontal perforation lines as the contents are periodically removed. Pocketed elongated openings are stitched to the bag adjacent the perforations and wherethrough a bendable element may be removably inserted for alternately opening and closing the bag as needed. This example requires a specially designed bag which again adds to the manufacturing cost and complexity.
It would therefore be beneficial to have a closure device which allows alternating opening and closing of a bag and which does not become separated from the bag when in the open condition. It would furthermore be desirable to have such a closure device which does not rely on repeated twisting and untwisting action at the same general location on the closure device so as to avoid breakage due to repeated bending at a single location. It would be yet furthermore desirable to have a bag closure device which does not require redesign or structural modification of existing food bags, which may be used on most any bag, and which is relatively easy to manufacture, low in cost and simple to use.
The present invention addresses the above described needs and overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art by providing, in a first aspect thereof, a closure device which a consumer may affix to most any bag. In one embodiment, the closure device comprises a first elongated strip of flexible material such as two-sided tape having a release paper on one side thereof, for example, and a thin, bendable wire affixed to and traversing the length of the first strip of material on the adhesive side thereof located opposite the release paper. A second elongated strip of flexible material such as paper, for example, with preferably the same dimensions as the first strip, is permanently applied in traversing, covering relation to the first strip over the wire at the time of manufacture. During manufacture of the closure device, the two-sided tape with release paper is dispensed from the roll and a separate roll of wire is dispensed and applied to the exposed adhesive surface of the two-sided tape, opposite the release paper. The second strip of flexible material such as paper is applied to the exposed adhesive surface of the first strip over the wire and is permanently attached thereto.
A plurality of individual closure devices may be manufactured in sheet form with perforations extending between each adjacent closure device on the sheet. When needed, the consumer tears a closure device from the sheet. The consumer peels away the release paper revealing the adhesive surface of the two-sided tape located opposite the surface to which the wire and second strip of material was applied. The consumer may then affix the closure device to the outer surface of a bag by pressing the exposed adhesive surface against the outer surface of the bag with the permanent strip of flexible material facing outwardly. If desired, indicia may be applied to the outer facing surface of the second strip of material for advertising purposes, for example.
In one preferred method, the consumer affixes the closure device in a traversing manner with the closure device extending between the opposite closed and open ends of the bag. In another preferred method, at least two closure devices are affixed to opposite sides of the bag whereby the consumer may alternately open and close the bag by twisting and untwisting the closure devices together and apart, respectively.
Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and will in part become apparent to those in the practice of the invention, when considered with the attached figures.
The accompanying drawing forms a part of this specification and is to be read in conjunction therewith, wherein like reference numerals are employed to indicate like parts in the various views, and wherein:
Referring now to the drawing, there is seen in
An embodiment of closure device comprises a first elongated strip of flexible material 14 having first and second opposing adhesive surfaces 14a and 14b, respectively. Although the embodiment of strip 14 is described herein as being formed of double-sided tape, it is understood that other flexible materials may be used as desired (e.g., plastics, foil, fabrics, composites, etc.) with any suitable means of affixing the elements together depending on their material type (e.g., adhesives, ultrasonic welding, etc.).
An elongated strip of removable release paper RP is affixed to and protects the opposite adhesive surface 14b and traverses substantially the entire length thereof. A bendable wire 16 is affixed to adhesive surface 14a of the first strip 14 and traverses substantially the entire length of first strip 14. A second strip of flexible material 18 is preferably permanently affixed to first strip 14 over wire 16 and in covering relation to surface 14a. It is noted that the bendable wire 16 may create a visual “bump” on the outwardly facing surface of second strip 18 as designated by reference numeral 14a′ in
As seen in
If desired, indicia “I” in the form of trademarks, inspirational messages, jokes, riddles, advertising, or the like may be applied to the outwardly facing surface of second strip 18 (opposite wire 16) and/or to release paper RP of a closure device, and/or may be applied along an entire sheet 12b (e.g., by applying a single indicia extending across the sheet from and to the closure devices located at the opposite edges of the sheet 12b).
Referring now to
Referring to
It will be appreciated that as food such as a stack of crackers are periodically removed from the bag 20, the location of where the bag is gathered for closing (which is typically closely adjacent the current top cracker) locates further and further toward the closed end 20a. Since the closure devices 12a may be applied to traverse substantially the entire length of the bag 20, they are available for twisting together regardless of where the gathered section of the bag is located.
The optional indicia “I” located on the outwardly facing surface of strip 18 as described above is also seen in
Referring now to
A second spindle 36′ is provided on frame 31 and upon which is mounted a roll 36 of bendable wire stock which is directed over auxiliary roller 38 and between auxiliary nip rollers 40, 42 onto adhesive surface 14a of first strip 14. Referring to
A third spindle 44′ is provided on frame 31 and upon which a roll 44 of the second strip 18 material is provided and directed between auxiliary nip rollers 46, 48 and onto the adhesive surface 14a of first strip 14 over wire 16.
It is noted that the upper nip rollers 40 and 46 may be formed from silicone and the lower nip rollers 42 and 48 may be formed from NBR (Nitrile Butadiene Rubber), for example.
Perforation wheels 50 and 52 may be positioned to cut or otherwise form perforations “P” between each adjacent closure device on the sheet 12b as seen in
It will be appreciated that the present invention provides a bag closure device which may be used by a consumer on most any bag, that will not become separated from the bag, and which is extremely simple to use and low in cost. While the invention has been described herein with regard to exemplary and preferred embodiments thereof, it is understood that variations may be made thereto without departing from the full spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims which follow.
