Patent Application
20060042051
This invention pertains to clips and arrays of clips for closing the necks of flexible bags. More particularly, the present invention relates to clips and strips of clips capable of being formed from flat material which can be separated by severing a connection between adjacent clips in a strip, including substantially flat material that is not necessarily brittle or frangible and can also be constructed from biodegradable materials.
It is previously known to form adjacent clips in a strip so that adjacent clips are attached together by way of narrow, frangible webs of relatively brittle material. Pursuant to U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,164,249; 3,164,250; 4,333,566; and 4,911,293, the clips are formed in strips that include such narrow, frangible webs of relatively brittle material. An individual clip is then either manually or machine manipulated so as to rotate and fracture a single clip from an adjacent clip in a strip, thereby breaking the webs of frangible material and separating an individual clip. However, such constructions are only suitable when clips are made from a relatively brittle, frangible material. Such clip construction is not suitable for use with relatively pliant and forgiving materials. Furthermore, the severing of individual clips in such manner can involve the production of stray chips of plastic or frangible material. These stray dips can be released by a random fracturing process which can contaminate food or other products within a bag, or can also cause malfunctioning of a clip-attaching mechanism. Furthermore, if the webs break in a relatively random manner and not in an intended manner, the webs can remain as sharp projections that protrude from the edge of a clip which can scratch or snag other products, or can scratch or snag the hands of a user or purchaser of the bag.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,215,606 discloses an alternative construction that minimizes the length of breaking portions between individual clips in a strip. By making the breaking portions of a negligible longitudinal length, an effort is made to avoid the production of undesirable chips of frangible material or snagging projections which can produce the above undesirable results. However, such construction involves a relatively complicated technique using a punch and die anvil of shear tools in order to produce the appropriate clip configuration. Furthermore, the strip of clips is still constructed of a frangible material. Accordingly, such construction cannot appear to provide a construction suitable for use with non-frangible materials, such as biodegradable materials or flexible materials suitable for reuse.
By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,911,293 discloses a prior art strip 10 of clips 12, such as clips 12a-12d, which are formed together and which are subsequently severed from one another by bending and fracturing a frangible web connection either by hand or by using a mechanical apparatus, such as one of the machines utilized in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,163,969 and 3,163,972. As shown in
Clips, such as 12a-12d, in strip 10 are held together with adjacent clips via pairs of internesting protrusions 22 and 24 which are provided on opposite lateral edges of each respective clip 12. As disclosed within U.S. Pat. No. 4,911,293, adjacent protrusions 22 and 24 are actually integrally formed together by way of a relatively small segment of interconnecting material that is not visible in
The above-described techniques of bending and fracturing one or more frangible web connections will not work well on closure clips that are constructed of non-frangible materials, such as biodegradable materials and flexible or resilient materials. Accordingly, improvements are needed in light of the above-described deficiencies of the prior art presented herein.
A strip of bag clips are provided having individual clips each with a bag neck access opening joining a bag neck confining aperture within the clip. The bag neck access opening extends in a transverse direction relative to the length of the strip. Adjacent clips are joined together on adjacent sides via a central or medial and contiguously formed bridge portion defined by laterally formed slots. In one case, the clips are formed from a frangible material. In another case, the clips are formed from a flexible or resilient material. In a further case, the clips are formed from a biodegradable material.
According to one aspect, a closure clip unit is provided with a plurality of closure clips integrally formed in a strip of essentially flat material. Each closure clip has an aperture provided in the clip with an entrance to the aperture provided at a lateral edge of the strip, and a central tab integrally provided between each successive clip of the strip and a respective next adjacent one of the clips.
According to another aspect, a strip of closure clips is provided having a plurality of closure clips integrally formed in a strip of biodegradable material.
According to yet another aspect, a bag closure clip is provided with a closure body of thin, flexible biodegradable sheet material with a bag confining mouth and a narrow opening located in a longitudinal side edge and a contiguous web in a lateral side edge configured to be integrally formed with another closure clip in the form of a multi-closure strip.
Preferred embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the following accompanying drawings.
This disclosure of the invention is submitted in furtherance of the constitutional purposes of the U.S. Patent Laws “to promote the progress of science and useful arts” (Article 1, Section 8).
Reference will now be made to a preferred embodiment of Applicant's invention comprising a clip and a strip of clips for closing flexible bags. While the invention is described by way of a preferred embodiment, it is understood that the description is not intended to limit the invention to such embodiment, but is intended to cover alternatives, equivalents, and modifications which may be broader than the embodiment, but which are included within the scope of the appended claims.
In an effort to prevent obscuring the invention at hand, only details germane to implementing the invention will be described in great detail, with presently understood peripheral details being incorporated by reference, as needed, as being presently understood in the art.
For the case where strip 110 is formed from a ductile material such as copper, one benefit of the present invention can clearly be discerned because copper is not frangible under tactile manipulation. More particularly, prior art techniques for severing individual clips from a strip will not work with a ductile material such as copper. However, the use of the strips and clips described herein can be implemented even with ductile materials when the clips are cut or severed from a strip by way of an automatic clip-applying machine. Prior art techniques utilize an automatic clip-applying machine that used a pusher with a rounded tip to displace one clip relative to another and to cause fracture between interconnections on adjacent protrusions. Such technique will not work well with a ductile material, such as copper.
As shown in
As shown in
In the forming process, individual clips 112 are contiguously joined together by way of a narrowed strip, isthmus, or web 152. Each strip 152 is provided along a central, or medial portion of strip 110, and a pair of laterally positioned slots 154 and 156 are provided immediately adjacent opposite sides of strip 152, respectively. Accordingly, slots 154 and 156 cooperate to define strip 152 as being a relatively narrow strip between adjacent clips 112, compared with a lateral width of strip 152.
Each clip has aperture 114 cooperating with a respective bag receiving passage 116 which is provided between a pair of opposed front surfaces 118 and 120. Front surfaces 118 and 120 terminate in a converging pair of fingers 128 and 130 so as to provide a relatively narrow gap, or passage 116 into aperture 114 for receiving a bunched-up open neck portion of a flexible bag, such as a plastic bag.
As shown in
According to the construction depicted in
According to the construction depicted in
Construction of the central tab, or web, is configured to enable severing of clips from a strip using a pair of coacting cutting edges, such as cutting edges provided between a pair of complementary cutting dies. In contrast, prior art techniques utilize a finger that bends one clip relative to another in order to impart fracture of the frangible interconnecting webs provided between adjacent clips. The provision of such a central tab or web, which is configured to be cut between a pair of coacting cutting edges, enables the use of non-frangible materials, such as polypropylene, in constructing a strip of closure clips. Furthermore, such construction enables utilization of biodegradable material which tends to not be brittle or frangible, and which cannot be readily fractured using the prior art techniques discussed above. Accordingly, a strip of closure clips can be formed from a resilient plastic material, or from a contiguous sheet of biodegradable material.
Furthermore, paper and paper products can be used to formulate such a strip of clips. For example, the provision of materials with a high content of wood fiber within paper or cardboard, along with an adhesive binder, enables the production of a fairly rigid strip of clips. Such strip of clips can be severed along the central connecting tab by a pair of coacting cutting edges by a clip cutting machine that is used to apply and sever clips from a strip during a bagging operation for products such as thermoformed articles, as well as food products.
In compliance with the statute, the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to structural and methodical features. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown and described, since the means herein disclosed comprise preferred forms of putting the invention into effect. The invention is, therefore, claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the proper scope of the appended claims appropriately interpreted in accordance with the doctrine of equivalents.
This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/605,185, which was filed Aug. 27, 2004, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/835,327, which was filed Apr. 28, 2004, and which are incorporated by reference herein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60605185 | Aug 2004 | US |
