Patent Grant
11634253
Our invention relates to a storage bag. More specifically, our invention relates to a storage bag with features that facilitate sealing and unsealing the bag, as well as a storage bag that includes features for distinguishing the bag from other storage bags.
Storage bags made from flexible plastic materials are well known. Such storage bags are made in a variety of sizes, and can be used to contain a variety of items, including food, utensils, clothing, tools, etc. Such storage bags often include some type of zipper-like closure mechanism to releasably seal the interior of the bag. Plastic storage bags with closure mechanisms are sold by the assignee of the present application under the ZIPLOC® trademark.
The closure mechanisms of plastic storage bags often include two interlocking structures that are provided on or near lips at the top of the bag. In order to seal the closure mechanism, a user will run his or her fingers along the closure mechanism, squeezing the interlocking members together. It is often easier to cause the interlocking members to become fully engaged throughout their length if the operation is performed in a certain manner, although a user may not necessarily be aware of the proper technique for performing the operation.
To open the bag, the user grasps the lips, and pulls the interlocking structures apart. Plastic storage bags, however, usually have slick surfaces that are difficult to grasp. Moreover, it is often easier to pull the interlocking structures apart if the bag is grasped in certain areas, and a certain motion is applied to the interlocking members. As with sealing the bag, however, a user may not necessarily be aware of the proper technique to unseal the bag.
Due to their vast functionality, storage bags are often placed in locations with other storage bags. For example, storage bags containing different products are often stored in a refrigerator or in a freezer. In such cases, it can be difficult to quickly or easily discern the contents of one bag from another.
It would be beneficial, therefore, to provide storage bags with features for making the storage bags easier to seal and to unseal. Further, it would be beneficial to provide storage bags that can be easily distinguished from each other.
According to one aspect of our invention, a storage bag is provided. The storage bag includes a first side surface and a second side surface connected to the first side surface so as to form an interior of the bag with an opening to the interior. The bag also includes a first closure profile attached to the first side surface and positioned adjacent to the opening of the bag, with the first closure profile including an interlocking member and forming a lip between the interlocking member and an edge of the first closure profile, with at least a portion of the lip being a first color. The bag further includes a second closure profile attached to the second side surface and positioned adjacent to the opening of the bag. The second closure profile includes an interlocking member, and the second closure profile forms a lip between the interlocking member and an edge of the second closure profile. At least a portion of the lip of the second closure profile is one of a different shade of the first color or a second color, such that the second lip is visually distinguishable from the first lip.
According to another aspect of our invention, a storage bag is provided that includes a first side surface and a second side surface connected to the first side surface so as to form an interior of the bag with an opening to the interior. A first closure profile is attached to the first side surface and positioned adjacent to the opening of the bag, with the first closure profile including an interlocking member, and with the first closure profile forming a lip between the interlocking member and an edge of the first closure profile. The bag also includes a second closure profile attached to the second side surface and positioned adjacent to the opening of the bag, with the second closure profile including an interlocking member, and the second closure profile forming a lip between the interlocking member and an edge of the second closure profile. At least a portion of the lip of the first closure profile extends a greater distance from its interlocking member to the edge of the first closure profile than at least a portion of the lip of the second closure profile extends from its respective interlocking member to the edge of the second closure profile, such that the edges of the closure profiles do not align and an area of the lip of the first closure profile is not overlapped by the lip of the second closure profile. When the bag is viewed towards the first side surface or the second side surface, the area of the lip of the first closure profile that is not overlapped by the lip of the second closure profile appears as a different color or a different shade of color than the area where the lips of the profiles overlap.
According to a further aspect of our invention, a storage bag is provided that includes a first side surface and a second side surface connected to the first side surface so as to form an interior of the bag with an opening to the interior. A first closure profile is attached to the first side surface and positioned adjacent to the opening of the bag, with the first closure profile including an interlocking member, and with the first closure profile forming a lip between the interlocking member and an edge of the first closure profile. A second closure profile is attached to the second side surface and positioned adjacent to the opening of the bag, with the second closure profile including an interlocking member, and with the second closure profile forming a lip between the interlocking member and an edge of the second closure profile. At least a portion of the lip of the first closure profile is not overlapped by the lip of the second closure profile. When the bag is viewed towards the first side surface or the second side surface, the portion of the first closure profile that is not overlapped by the second closure profile appears as a different color or a different shade of color than the portions of the lips of the first and second closure profiles that overlap.
Our invention relates to a plastic storage bag that includes features that facilitate sealing and unsealing of the bag. Our invention also relates to a storage bag that includes features for distinguishing the bag from other storage bags. The features of our invention thereby provide for an easy to use and easy to distinguish plastic storage bag.
As will be apparent from the description herein, the term “bag” encompasses a broad range of structures designed to contain items, such as pouches, envelopes, packets, and the like. In general, the term bag, as used herein, simply means a somewhat flexible container with an opening, with the bag being capable of carrying any number of items.
In some embodiments, the side surfaces 102 and 104 are directly connected together at the edges 106, 108, and 110. The side surfaces 102 and 104 may be, for example, laminated together at the edges 106, 108, and 110. In other embodiments, however, additional surfaces may be provided to connect the first and second side surfaces 102 and 104. For example, a gusset-type connection may be formed at the edges 106, 108, and 110 between the first and second side surfaces 102 and 104, thereby allowing the first and second side surfaces 102 and 104 to be moved apart to an expanded bag configuration. Along these lines, it should be noted that the term “connected,” as used herein, is general a term that describes two structures that are directly attached to one another, but also encompasses structures that are connected through intermediary structures.
First and second closure profiles 107 and 109 form the top portion of the bag 100, with the first and second closure profiles 107 and 109 defining the top edges 112 and 114. The closure profiles 107 and 109 include interlocking members 114, 116, 118, and 120 for sealing the opening 103 of the bag 100. As shown in
The bag 100 is sealed by a user squeezing the interlocking members 114 and 116 together with the interlocking members 118 and 120. It has been found that a user can most easily perform this process by starting at the ends of the interlocking members 114, 116, 118, and 120, and then moving his or her fingers across the length of the bag. When unsealing the bag 100, the interlocking members 114, 116, 118, and 120 are pulled apart by the user grasping the lips 126 and 128 of the bag and moving the closure profiles 107 and 109 apart. As will be discussed below, it is generally easier for a user to move the closure profiles 107 and 109, apart and unseal the interlocking members 114, 116, 118, and 120, if the lips 126 and 128 are grasped towards the center of the length of the closure profiles 107 and 109.
The interlocking members 114, 116, 118, and 120 may be configured to provide an audible sound and/or a tactile sensation when engaging each other. A variety of techniques are known for providing such audible and tactile features, with one example being the provision of indentations intermittently along the length of the profiles of interlocking members 114, 116, 118, and 120, or, more generally, making the interlocking members 114, 116, 118, and 120 discontinuous along their lengths. The indentions or structural discontinuities cause the interlocking members 114, 116, 118, and 120 to close together with a vibratory or bumpy feel, or with an audible clicking sound, or with both a bumpy feel and an audible clicking sound. An example of providing the interlocking members of a bag with audible or tactile features can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,140,727, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
It should be noted that, although the bag 100 described herein includes two pairs of interlocking members 114, 116, 118, and 120, other embodiments of the bag can include only one pair of interlocking members, i.e., a single interlocking member extending from the first closure profile of the bag that can connect to an interlocking member extending from the second closure profile of the bag. Still other embodiments can include more than two pairs of interlocking members. It should also be noted that the interlocking members 114, 116, 118, and 120 do not necessarily need to fully extend to the edges of the bag 100. For example, in some embodiments, the bag 100 may include extended sealed sections at the edges 106 and 108 of the bag 100, with the interlocking members 114, 116, 118, and 120 configured to extend only from one sealed section to the other, and not all the way to the edges 106 and 108 of the bag 100. In this regard, references herein to the interlocking members 114, 116, 118, and 120 “extending between” the sides of the closure profiles 107 and 109 do not necessarily indicate that the interlocking members 114, 116, 118, and 120 extend all the way to edges of the closure profiles 107 and 109.
The first and second side surfaces 102 and 104, and the first and second closure profiles 107 and 109, may be formed from thermoplastic materials, and by known processes that are well known in the art. For example, the side surfaces 102 and 104 may be independently extruded of thermoplastic material as a single continuous or multi-ply web, and the closure profiles 107 and 109 may be extruded of the same or different thermoplastic materials separately as continuous lengths or strands. The first and second closure profiles 107 and 109 may be integrally formed with (and thus “connected”) to the side surfaces 102 and 104 of the bag 100. Alternatively, the first and second closure profiles 107 and 109 may be formed as separate structures that are attached (and thus “connected”) to the first and second side walls 102 and 104, for example, by laminating the first and second closure profiles 107 and 109 to the first and second side walls 102 and 104.
Illustrative thermoplastic materials that could be used to form the bag 100 include, for example, polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), metallocene-polyethylene (mPE), low density polyethylene (LDPE), linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE), ultra low density polyethylene (ULDPE), biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate (BPET), high density polyethylene (HDPE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), among other polyolefin plastomers and combinations and blends thereof. Still other materials that may be used include styrenic block copolymers, polyolefin blends, elastomeric alloys, thermoplastic polyurethanes, thermoplastic copolyesters, thermoplastic polyamides, polymers and copolymers of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC), saran polymers, ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymers, cellulose acetates, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), ionomer, polystyrene, polycarbonates, styrene acryloacrylonitrile, aromatic polyesters, linear polyesters, and thermoplastic polyvinyl alcohols. Those skilled in the art will recognize that a wide variety of other materials may also be used to form the bag 100.
To form the notch 130, the first lip 126 includes a first portion that extends a distance H1 from the interlocking member 114 to the top edge 112 along a portion of a length of the bag (the right side of
The second lip 128 is configured similar to the first lip 126, except that the portions of the second lip 128 are reversed from the first lip 126. The second lip 128 includes a first portion that extends a distance H3 from the interlocking member 118 to the top edge 113 (left side of
The first portion of the first lip 126 extending the distance H1 is positioned adjacent to the second portion of the second lip 128 that extends the distance H4, and the second portion of the first lip 126 that extends the distance H2 is positioned adjacent to the first portion of the second lip 128 that extends the distance H3. The third portions of the first and second lips 126 and 128, which vary in distance from the respective interlocking members 114 and 118 to edges 112 and 113, are positioned adjacent to each other. Thus, the distinctive notch 130 is formed by the top edges 112 and 113 in the region X.
The offset of the lips 126 and 128, and the correspondingly formed notch 130, make it easier for a user to grasp the lips 126 and 128, and to unseal the interlocking members 114, 116, 118, and 120. As shown in
It should be noted that, although the region X where the notch 130 is provide is at the center of the length of the bag 100 depicted in
As shown in
In addition to, or as an alternative to, the gripping ridges 122 and 124, the surfaces of the lips 126 and 128 may also include a texture 127, as shown in bag 100′ depicted in
The combination of two different grip facilitating features, i.e., the gripping ridges 122, 123, 124, and 125 and the texture 127, provides for particularly effective gripping surfaces that a user can easily grasp when unsealing the interlocking members 114, 116, 118, and 120. Additionally, the texture 127 also provides another visual cue for locating the lips 126 and 128.
The bag 200 is configured such that the distance H1 is greater than the distances H2 and H3, but the distance H1 is less than the distance H4. Thus, a portion of the lip 228 formed by the second closure profile 209 extends above the edge 212 formed by the first closure profile 207. The first and second lips 226 and 228 are therefore easily distinguishable, and the user is provided with a visual cue as to where to grasp the lips 226 and 228 in order to unseal the interlocking members 214, 216, 218, and 220. Further, the user is led to grasp the lips 226 and 228 at a center region of the bag 200 where the second lip 228 extends above the first lip 226. By grasping the lips 226 and 228 at the center region, the user can impart a rolling motion to the lips, as described above in conjunction with FIG. 4, which facilitates separation of the first and second closure profiles 207 and 209, and thus, unsealing of the interlocking members 214, 216, 218, and 220.
The bag 200 is configured such that the distance H1 is greater than the distances H2 and H4, but the distance H1 is less than the distance H3. Thus, a portion of the lip 228 formed by the second closure profile 209 extends above the edge 212 formed by the first closure profile 207. The first and second lips 226 and 228 are therefore easily distinguishable, and the user is provided with a visual cue as to where to grasp the lips 226 and 228 in order to unseal the interlocking members 214, 216, 218, and 220. Further, the user is led to grasp the lips 226 and 228 at a center region of the bag 200 where the second lip 228 extends above the first lip 226. By grasping the lips 226 and 228 at the center region, the user can impart a rolling motion to the lips, as is described above in conjunction with
In order to provide an aid for distinguishing between the first and second lips 426 and 428, coloring is provided to the lips 426 and 428. In effect, when the bag 400 is viewed looking at the first side surface 102 or the second side surface 104, the area where the first lip 426 overlaps the second lip 428 appears as a noticeably darker color, or as a noticeably darker shade of color, than the area of the second lip 428 that is not overlapped by the first lip 426. Thus, the user can easily distinguish the first and second lips 426 and 428, and it is easier for the user to determine where to grasp the bag 400 when unsealing the interlocking members 414, 416, 418, and 420.
As will be apparent from the discussion herein, the references to a “darker color” and “a darker shade of color” have different meanings. A CIELAB color space is a common technique for quantifying colors and shades of a color. In this color space, the L* represents the lightness or darkness of a color, and a* and b* represent color-opponent dimensions, based on nonlinearly compressed CIE XYZ color space coordinates. The L*, a*, and b* values for a color of a particular sample can easily be determined by using, for example, a spectrophotometer. As used herein, when considering two color samples, a darker color sample would be one in which the a* and b* values are indicative of the darker color than the other sample, e.g., a* and b* values indicative of a blue color that is darker than the a* and b* values indicative of a yellow color. A darker shade of color, on the other hand, would be indicative of two samples having substantially the same a* and b* values, but different L* values, with the sample having the higher L* value being the lighter shade of color. In this regard, it should be noted that the term “color,” as used herein, encompasses black, white, and shades of gray. It should also be noted that a substantially transparent plastic storage bag, as discussed above and as is known in the art, can be considered to have a certain “color.” When referencing first and a second colors, or shades of color, herein, one of the first and second colors or shades of color may be the same as the rest of the bag, including substantially transparent portions of the bag.
It follows that the visual effects of the first and second lips 426 and 428 described herein can be achieved using different colors, wherein the a* and/or b* values of the lips 426 and 428 are different. Qualitatively, the first lip 426 might appear as a green color, while the second lip 428 appears as a red color. In such an embodiment, the L* values of the two lips 426 and 426 could be the same, or the L* values could be different. In other embodiments, the first and second lips 426 and 428 are provided as substantially the same color, i.e., have about the same a* and b* values, but have different L* values. In such a case, the first and second lips 426 and 428 are a different shade of color. In still other embodiments, the first and second lips 426 and 428 are formed in the same color and the same shade of color. Yet, due to the overlapping of the first lip 426 with a portion of the second lip 428, the overlapping area naturally appears as a darker shade of color than the portion of the second lip 428 that is not overlapped by the first lip 426, when the bag is viewed from the first side surface 402 or the second side surface 404. Such an effect can be achieved, for example, by using a larger thickness of the lips 426 and 428. In still other embodiments, the first and second lips 426 and 428 can be formed by different colors, which will thereby provide a different color in the overlapping portions of the lips 426 and 428 than in the non-overlapped portion of the second lip 428, e.g., the first lip 426 is a yellow color and the second lip 428 is a blue color such that a green color is produced in the area where the first lip 426 overlaps the second lip 428, when the bag is viewed towards the first side 402 or the second side 404.
In specific embodiments, the L* values of the two lips 426 and 428 are different by a value of about thirty. As examples, the L* value of the darker first lip 426 is about fifty to about seventy, more specifically, the L* value is about fifty-five to about sixty-five, and even more specifically, the L* value is about fifty-five to about sixty. The L* value of the lighter second lip 428 is about sixty to about eighty, more specifically, the L* value is about sixty-five to about seventy-five, and even more specifically, the L* value is about seventy to seventy-five. With all of these configurations, the first lip 426 appears substantially darker than the second lip 428. Therefore, a user can easily distinguish between the two lips 426 and 428, which, in turn, makes it easier for the user to determine where to grasp the bag 400 when unsealing the interlocking members 414, 416, 418, and 420.
The color can be formed in the lips 426 and 428 using a variety of techniques. As one example, a colorant in liquid or solid form can be mixed with the resin prior to an extrusion operation that forms the closure profiles 407 and 409 of the bag. As a similar example, the color can be introduced by adding color resin pellets or liquid color to a pellet stream where it will be homogenized throughout the plastic during the extrusion process that forms the film and/or the profiles 407 and 409 of the bag. In such an arrangement, the coloring agent can be introduced through a separate extruder added to the overall extrusion forming process, for example, by extruding a color layer on the already formed closure profiles 407 and 409. As another example, the color can be applied by painting or printing on the closure profiles 407 and 409. Those skilled in the art will recognize that a wide variety of other techniques could be used to form the colors or shades of color in the lips 426 and 428 of the bag 400.
While the bag 400 depicted in
In other embodiments, the color is not a solid block on the lips 426 and 428. Instead, the color may be formed, for example, in patterns or shapes, with the patterns and shapes being continuous or discontinuous. Examples of such patterns and shapes include hearts, flowers, trees, etc. Along these lines, the coloring of either the lip 426 or the lip 428 can include multiple colors. Still further, as indicated above, one of the colors or shades of colors of the first and second lips 426 and 428 can be the same as the other portions of the bag. Thus, in an embodiment, the color of the first lip 426 is the same as the color of the substantially transparent side surface 402, while the lip 428 is formed with two different colors. Those skilled in the art will appreciate the wide range of coloring options for the lips 426 and 428 of the bag 400.
The interlocking members 414, 416, 418, and 420 may also be colored, and as such, provided as the same color or different colors than the lips 426 and 428. With coloring, the interlocking members 414, 416, 418, and 420 can easily be discerned, thus making it easier for the user to seal and to unseal the bag. Therefore, by providing bag 400 with colored lips 426 and 428, as well as colored interlocking members 414, 416, 418, and 420, the user can easily identify the portions that are used to seal and to unseal the bag 400.
The coloring of the lips 426, 428, 526, 528, 626, and 628 in bags 400, 500, and 600 may also allow for the bags 400, 500, 600 to be easily distinguished from other storage bags. That is, the coloring of the lips 426, 428, 526, 528, 626 and 628 provides a visual indication to a user of the particular bag, and such a feature may provide an express or an implicit indication of the contents of the bag. For example, blue colored lips might be used to indicate a freezer bag, magenta colored lips might be used to indicate a refrigerator bag, and green colored lips might be used to indicate a general purpose storage bag. Moreover, the colored lips 426, 428, 526, 528, 626 and 628 might allow a particular bag to stand out amongst other bags, such as a magenta bag amongst green bags. Of course, as the coloring may only be formed in the lips 426, 428, 526, 528, 626 and 628, the first and second side surfaces 400, 402, 500, 502, 600, and 602 of the bags 400, 500, and 600 may still be made transparent or substantially transparent. Thus, while the bags 400, 500, and 600 are imparted with an indicative color by the lips 426, 428, 526, 528, 626, and 628, the contents of the bags 400, 500, and 600 can nevertheless still be easily seen.
In order to further distinguish the bag 600 from other bags, the bag 600 may include an area 601 that allows writing to be easily imparted on the bag 600, i.e., the area 601 forms a label for the bag 600. Often, plastic bags have a label that is printed on a surface. Typically, such a label is printed on the bag with ink applied, for example, by a flexographic printer. The area 601 of the bag 600 can be such an ink label, in some embodiments of the invention.
In other embodiments, however, the area 601 is not formed with ink, but rather, is formed as an etched portion of the surface of the bag. The etched area can be formed using a variety of techniques. As one example, the area 601 can be formed by sandblasting. As another example, the area 601 can be formed by an ultrasonic scuffing process, wherein a roughened or an embossed surface of a vibrating horn or anvil is brought into contact with a surface of the bag 600. It has been found that performing such etching techniques on a surface of a bag constructed from plastic materials, such as the plastics described above, imparts an etched area that will readily receive writing from a standard ink pen. The etching techniques for forming area 601 are advantageous over ink printing techniques for forming area 601, inasmuch as etching may be less costly than the ink used to form the area 601. Additionally, forming the area 601 by etching provides for a more environmentally friendly bag 600 by eliminating the use of the printing ink. It should be noted that regardless of the techniques used to form the area 601, the area 601 can be formed on any surface of the bag 600, and, further, the area 601 can be formed in any shape.
In bag 700, the first and second closure profiles 707 and 709 include textured areas 734, 736, 738, and 740 that are positioned adjacent to the edges 706 and 708, and adjacent to the interlocking members 714, 716, 718, and 720. The textured areas 734, 736, 738, and 740 provide a significantly different texture compared to the other surfaces of the bag 700, such that the textured areas 734, 736, 738, and 740 are visually distinguishable from the areas of the closure profiles 707 and 709 that are adjacent to the textured areas 734, 736, 738, and 740. The textured areas 734 and 736, however, extend over only a portion of the length of the closure profiles 707 and 709, and in particular, at areas adjacent to the ends of the interlocking members 714, 716, 718, and 720. That is, the first and second closure profiles 707 and 709 include the textured areas 734, 736, 738, and 740 adjacent to portions of the interlocking members 714, 716, 718, and 720, but the closure profiles 707 and 709 are formed with untextured areas adjacent to the majority of the lengths of the interlocking members 714, 716, 718, and 720. Note, the term “untextured,” as used herein, denotes a relatively smooth surface as is commonly found in the art.
It has been found that zipper-type closure structures, such as the closure structures formed by interlocking members 714, 716, 718, and 720, are more easily sealed, and more often completely sealed, if the user starts the sealing operation at the ends of the interlocking members 714, 716, 718, and 720. The textured areas 734, 736, 738, and 740 provide a visual cue for a user to grasp the closure profiles 707 and 709 at positions adjacent to the ends of the interlocking member 714, 716, 718, and 720 when beginning the process of sealing the bag. Thus, the user is more apt to properly and to completely seal the bag 700 with the guidance provided by the textured areas 734, 736, 738, and 740.
As shown in
The textured areas 734, 736, 738, and 740 may be formed by a variety of techniques and processes. As one example, the textured areas 734, 736, 738, and 740 can be formed by embossing the closure profiles 707 and 709 with a die press. As another example, the textured areas 734, 736, 738, and 740 can be formed by ultrasonic embossing. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, die or ultrasonic embossing techniques will allow for the formation of the textured areas 734, 736, 738, and 740 in the specific sections 740, 742, and 744, without also embossing on the interlocking members 714, 716, 718, and 720, i.e., without crushing or otherwise deforming the interlocking members 714, 716, 718, and 720. Of course, those skilled in the art will recognize that there is a variety of other techniques with which the textured areas 734, 736, 738, and 740 can be formed. For example, as an alternative to embossing, the textured areas 734, 736, 738, and 740 can be formed by a micromolding operation on the closure profiles 707 and 709.
It should be noted that, although the textured areas 734, 736, 738, and 740 in bag 700 are formed in the sections above, in between, and below the interlocking members 714, 716, 718, and 720, in other embodiments, the textured areas 734, 736, 738, and 740 can be formed in only one or two of these sections. For example, the textured areas 734, 736, 738, and 740 may only be formed in the area between the interlocking members 714, 716, 718, and 720, but not above or below the interlocking members 714, 716, 718, and 720. Indeed, the textured areas 734, 736, 738, and 740 could be formed in only one section adjacent to the interlocking members 714, 716, 718, and 720. Moreover, in still other embodiments, the textured areas 734, 736, 738, and 740 may only be formed on one side of the bag 700 or only at one end of the interlocking members 714, 716, 718, and 720. For example, the textured area 734 may alone be formed in an embodiment, with the other textured areas 736, 738, and 740 being omitted.
A bag 800 according to a further embodiment of the invention is shown in
The first and second closure profiles 807 and 809 also include a plurality of dimples 852 and 854. As shown in
The dimples 852 of the first closure profile 807 are positioned and configured to engage the oppositely positioned dimples 854 of the second closure profile 809. More specifically, the convex surfaces 858 of the dimples 852 can be received to the concave surfaces 862 of the dimples 854 when the interlocking members 814, 816, 818, and 820 are brought together to seal the opening 803 of the bag 800. As such, the dimples 807 and 809 provide an alignment feature for the closure profiles 807 and 809. Moreover, the alignment and engaging of the dimples 807 and 809 provides a user with both a visual indication and tactile sensation that inform the user that the interlocking members 814, 816, 818, and 820 are engaging, when the user is sealing the bag 800. That is, the user visually identifies the dimples 852 and 854, and feels the convex surfaces 858 of the dimples 852 engaging the concave surfaces 862 of the dimples 854 as he or she runs his or her fingers along the interlocking members 814, 816, 818, and 820 to seal the bag 800.
It should be noted that, in addition to the configuration of concave and convex surfaces 856, 858, 860, and 862 for the dimples 852 and 854 shown in
In still other embodiments, the dimples 852 and 854 can be made flexible such that the concave and convex surfaces of the dimples 852 and 854 can change shape when pressed upon by a user. For example, when the user presses against the convex surfaces 860 of the dimples 854, the convex surfaces 860 may be flattened towards the closure profile 809. Additionally, the dimples 854 can be configured such that the convex surfaces 860 become concave relative to the outside surface of the closure profile 809, and the concave surfaces 860 become convex relative to the surface of the closure profile 809 that faces the interior of the bag 800, i.e., reversed from the configuration shown in
It should be noted that the dimples 852 and 854 are a significantly different type of structure than the interlocking members 814, 816, 818, and 820 inasmuch as the dimples 852 and 854 do not include an interlocking feature that significantly aids in sealing the opening 803 of the bag 800. Instead, the dimples 852 and 854 merely fit together. Because the dimples 852 and 854 more easily slide together than the interlocking members 814, 816, 818, and 820, the dimples 852 and 854 provide an effective guide for aligning the closure profiles 807 and 809 in a manner that allows the interlocking members 814, 816, 818, and 820 to become interlocked.
The dimples 852 and 854 can be particularly effective in combination with a feature that provides audible feedback indicating that the interlocking members 852 and 854 have been engaged. As discussed above, interlocking members may be configured to provide an audible sound and/or a tactile sensation when engaging with each other. In addition to, or in alternative to, the interlocking members 814, 816, 818, and 820 being provided with a sound producing feature, the dimples 852 and 854 could be configured to provide a sound when becoming aligned, such as a “popping” sound when the dimples 852 and 854 are brought together. That is, the nesting of the dimples 852 and 854 can be made to amplify other sounds indicating that the interlocking members 814, 816, 818, and 820 are engaging. Regardless of the source of the sound, the provision of a sound in combination with the feel that the dimples 852 and 854 provide when becoming aligned provides the user with a vivid indication that the interlocking members 814, 816, 818, and 820 are interlocking together and the bag 800 is being sealed. The indication to the user may be even more effective if the sounds correspond to the dimples 852 and 854 becoming aligned. That is, a user is provided with excellent tactile and audio feedback when the bag 800 is configured to produce a sound at about the same time that the dimples 852 and 854 are nested together.
As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the dimples 852 and 854 can be formed in the closure profiles 807 and 809 using a variety of techniques. As one example, the dimples 852 and 854 could be formed using a mechanical operation, such as a pressing operation with a die. In such a pressing operation, heat could also be applied to the closure profiles 807 and 809 in order to facilitate the deformation in the closure profiles 807 and 809 that forms the dimples 852 and 854. Alternatively, the dimples 852 and 854 could be formed using an ultrasonic forming operation. As still other alternatives, the dimples 852 and 854 could be formed by a micromolding process, or as part of a vacuum extrusion operation in the process of forming the closure profiles 807 and 809. With all of these techniques, the dimples 852 and 854 are formed in a manner to prevent rupturing or weakening of the closure profiles 807 and 809.
In the bag 800 depicted in
While the dimples 852 and 854 are substantially spherical sections with substantially circular cross sections, and while the dimples 852 and 854 in
In the embodiments depicted in
Unlike in the embodiments described above, the dimples 1057 do not nest with the dimples 1059, and as such, the dimples 1057 and 1059 do not provide a substantial guide for aligning the closure profiles 1007 and 1009. Nevertheless, the dimples 1057 and 1059 advantageously provide both a visual cue and tactile feedback that indicate to the user where to place his or her fingers when sealing the interlocking members 1014, 1016, 1018, and 1020. The user, therefore, is more assured that the bag 1000 is being sealed.
While particular features of our storage bag have been described above in different embodiments above, as will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art many of the features of the different embodiments may be combined in different embodiments. For example, the dimple features described in conjunction with bag 800 could be provided with the different lip configurations of bags 100, 100′, 200, and 300. Additionally, or alternatively, the textured areas described in conjunction with bag 700 could be used with the bags 100, 100′, 200, and 300. Further, colored lips as described in conjunction with bags 400, 500, and 600 could be provided with any embodiment of our storage bag. Similarly, the label area 601 shown on bag 600 could be provided on any embodiment of our storage bag. Further, the gripping ridges 122, 123, 124, and 125 and/or texture 127 described above in conjunction with bags 100 and 100′ could be provided to any embodiment of our bag. And, as described above, the gripping ridges 122, 123, 124, and 125 and texture 127 could be provided on inside surfaces of the lips of the bags, outside surfaces of the lips, or both the inside and outside surfaces of the lips.
Bag 1100 also includes the above-described features that facilitate sealing of the interlocking members 1114, 1116, 1118, and 1120. Specifically, the bag 1100 includes textured areas 1134 and 1136 at the ends of the interlocking members 1114, 1116, 1118, and 1120, with the textured areas 1134 and 1136. The textured areas 1134 and 1136 provide visual cues directing the user to start a sealing operation at the ends of the interlocking members 1114, 1116, 1118, and 1120, as described above in conjunction with the bag 700. Note, the texture in areas 1134 and 1136 can be made to be visually distinct from the texture 1123 of lips 1126 and 1128 shown in
The bag 1200, as shown in
The bags 1100 and 1200 may also include any of the other features in the embodiments described above as well. For example, the interlocking members 1114, 1116, 1118, 1120, 1214, 1216, 1218, and 1220, as well as the dimples 1152, 1154, 1252, and 1254 can be configured to produce audible feedback, in the manner described above.
All of the bags shown in
It is also contemplated that any of the bags described herein could be formed as a vacuum storage bag. In such embodiments, at least one vacuum check valve is provided on a surface of the bag, with the valve allowing for fluid communication with the interior of the bag. A vacuum device, such as a manual or electrical pump, or even a household vacuum cleaner, may be placed over the valve to draw out gases or other fluids from the interior of the bag. The vacuum bag configuration may also include relief on or along interior surfaces of the bag to provide air flow channels when a vacuum is drawn through the vacuum check valve. Examples of vacuum bags are sold under the SPACE BAG® tradename, and examples of such vacuum bags can be seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,983,845; 8,096,329; 8,197,138; and 8,179,139, and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012/0099806, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.
Although this invention has been described with respect to certain specific exemplary embodiments, many additional modifications and variations would be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of this disclosure. It is, therefore, to be understood that this invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described. Thus, the exemplary embodiments of the invention should be considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive, and the scope of the invention to be determined by any claims supportable by this application, and the equivalents thereof, rather than by the foregoing description.
The invention described herein can be used in the commercial production of storage bags. Such storage bags have a wide variety of uses, such as being utilized to store food, chemicals, or other substances.
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