FIELD OF INVENTION
The present disclosure relates to an apparatus for closing non-resealable containers or bags.
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF PRESENT DISCLOSURE
This section introduces aspects that may help facilitate a better understanding of the disclosure. Accordingly, these statements are to be read in this light and are not to be understood as admissions about what is or is not prior art.
Non-resealable openings of storage containers are often sealed prior to being opened, but no longer sealed after being opened. Without the ability to reseal the container opening, the products within it may go bad, the user may need to transfer the products to a new container or may close the opening with an accessory to help preserve the product. For example, if a non-resealable container is a flexible bag, the user may be able to fold or clip the container to close the opening, but the container may only remain partially protected and not fully sealed, if sealed at all.
According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a cover for sealing a container is provided. The cover comprises a body having a first end having a first opening and a second end having a second opening. In some embodiments, the body may be tubular. The cover further comprises means for sealing the first end and means for fastening the second end on a container.
According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a cover for sealing a container is provided. The cover comprises a body having a first end having a first opening and a second end having a second opening. In some embodiments, the body may be tubular. The cover further comprises a re-sealable seal having a first state with the first end being unsealed and a second state with the first end being sealed. The cover further comprises an adhesive configured, to adhere the body to a container.
According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a method of closing a container is provided. The method comprises the steps of providing a container and a cover. The cover has a body, a first, and a second end. The method further comprises steps of opening the container to provide an opening in an end of the container and sealing the body to the end of the container. The method further comprises the step of sealing the first opening of the body.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The previously described aspects and attributes of the present disclosure will be discussed with reference to the following drawings and accompanying specification.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an open container and a cover positioned over the open container prior to the cover being fastened to the open container;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1 showing the cover fastened to the container prior to being sealed to seal the container;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an example of a cover having a body with a top end and an lower end, a zipper seal positioned adjacent to the top end, and an adhesive positioned adjacent to the lower end to fasten to a container;
FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing the cover of FIG. 3 with the top end sealed by the zipper seal and the adhesive exposed after removal of a backing;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an example of a cover with a top end and a lower end, a slide seal positioned adjacent to the top end;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an example of a cover with a top end and a lower end, a hook-and-loop seal positioned adjacent to the top end;
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an example of a cover with atop end and a lower end; and
FIG. 8a is a perspective view of an example of a cover with an open top end having a fold-top and an open lower end, and
FIG. 8b is a perspective view of the cover of FIG. 8a with the fold-top folded over the top end.
It should be understood that the preceding is merely a detailed description of a preferred embodiment of this invention and that nations modifications and equivalents can be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. The preceding description, therefore, is not meant to limit the scope of the invention. Rather, the scope of the invention is to be determined by the appended claims and their equivalents.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
As shown in FIG. 1, a cover 100 is provided to seal a container 110 having a top end 111. Prior to being opened, top end 111 of container 110 may have been closed and sealed in a non-resealable manner. For example, a container 110 may be made of a thermoplastic and a top end 111 may have been heat sealed. After being opened, it is difficult for a typical consumer to effectively reseal the top end 111. Thus, when a user opens a container 110, a seal 112 provided for a top end 111 is permanently broken and ineffective for resealing container 110. As a result, for some containers 110, a top end 111 is non-resealable having a single use seal, such, as a heat seal, safety seal, or integral sheet that is cut to open the top end 111, resulting in a permanently broken seal 112 after container 110 is opened at seal 112. According to alternative embodiments for some containers 110, a top end 111 is re-sealable with a lid (not shown), etc., which may or may not have been discarded or otherwise become unusable for sealing a top end 111 so that a seal 112 previously provided by the lid is permanently broken.
As described herein, a typical consumer may use cover 100 to effectively reseal a container 110 that has been opened at a non-resealable seal 112. According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, container 110 is a plastic bag, such as a potato chip bag or other snack bag. According to other embodiments, container 110 may be other containers, such as cardboard food or other boxes, metal, plastic, or other cans, etc.
FIG. 2 depicts cover 100 fastened to container 110 prior to being sealed to seal container 110. For example, a cover 100 includes a body 101 having a first end 102 and a second end 103. Body 101 can be tubular. Second end 103 is positioned over top end 111 of container 110 and fastened to container 110 with an adhesive positioned adjacent to open, lower second end 103.
According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, for example, as shown in FIG. 3, a cover 300 includes a seal 308 positioned adjacent to top end 302 to seal top end 302. Seal 308 may be re-sealable to permit unsealing and resealing of container 110 with cover 300. Once cover 300 is attached to a non-resealable container, such as container 110, the non-resealable container is converted to a resealable container. According to alternative embodiments of the present disclosure, top end 302 may be non-resealable.
According to alternative embodiments of the present disclosure, multiple means for sealing a cover are provided. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, cover 300 includes an integrated zipper seal 308 for sealing top end 302 of a body 301. After fastening body 301 to a container 110, as described herein, the user may seal cover 300 and container 110 by pressing and zipping zipper seal 308 closed as shown in FIG. 4. Later, the user may open cover 300 to gain access to the contents of container 110, such as food by unzipping zipper seal 308. Later, the user may reseal cover 300 and container 110 by pressing and zipping zipper seal 308 again.
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, additional details of adhesive strip 304 are provided. A cover 300 and the other covers 100, 400, 500, 600, 700, and 800 described herein includes adhesive strip 304 positioned adjacent to lower end 303 and a backing 305 initially positioned over adhesive strip 304 to prevent interior sides adhesive strip 304 from adhering to each other or other objects.
Adhesive strip 304 provides a means for fastening a body 301 of cover 300 onto container 110. Adhesive strip 304 is preferably a double-sided adhesive tape covered on its interior side by a backing strip 305. To fasten cover 300 to container 110, a user may first place lower end 303 over top end 111 of container 110 while leaving backing 305 in place. Next, a user may remove backing 305 to expose the interior sides of adhesive strip 304 as shown in FIG. 4. Finally, if necessary, the user presses adhesive strip 304 to an, outer surface of container 110. Additional means for fastening may include, among other things, tacky adhesive, glue, paste, and epoxy.
As shown in FIG. 5, another means for sealing a cover 500 is provided. Cover 500 includes a body 501, a top end 502, a lower end 503, and an integrated slide seal 508 in which a user slides slider 508 in one direction to seal cover 500 and container 110 and the opposite direction to unseal cover 500 and container 110 repeatedly to gain access to the contents of container 110 and reseal cover 500 and container 110.
FIG. 6 shows yet another means for sealing a cover 600. Cover 600 has a body 601, a top end 602, a lower end 603, and an integrated hook and loop seal 608 which seals cover 600 when a user presses the two sides of the integrated hook and loop seal together. The body can be tubular. Additional details of suitable means for sealing the covers are provided in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,854,887; 9,216,845; 6,857,779; 7,993,256; and 7,424,796; and published U.S. Patent Applications US2007/0092166 and US2017/0233143, the entire disclosures of which expressly incorporated by reference herein. The means for sealing the covers disclosed herein could also be a pressure seal, a heat seal, etc.
Referring to FIG. 7, one embodiment a cover 100 is provided as a cover 700. Cover 700 includes a body 701 that has a top end 702 that is open and non-resealable and a lower end 703 that is open. In some embodiments, the body can be tubular. To seal open top end of container 110, a user may use a wire tie (sometimes referred to as a twist tie) after synching cover 700 as a non-integral means for sealing cover 700 and container 110.
FIGS. 8a and 8b show a cover 820, similar to FIG. 7 that includes a fold-top 808. Fold-top 808 has a first length 804 of cover 820 on one side of cover 820 that may be folded over the top of the other side of cover 820 to close opening 802 cover 820 by covering a second length 805 of cover 804. Additionally, first length 804 of cover 820 may be tucked into opening 802.
Patent Application
20230227211
