Bag closure

Aug. 9, 1966

3,264,698

C. E. WRIGHT

BAG CLOSURE

Filed Oct. 12, 1964

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FIG. 12

FIG. IO FIG. 11

INVENTOR.

CHARLES E. WRIGHT

Attorney

3,264,698

Patented August 9, 1966

United States Patent Office

3,264,698 BAG CLOSURE

Charles E. Wright, 107 Alexandra Blvd., Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Filed Oct. 12, 1964, Ser. No. 403,277

Claims priority, application Canada, Apr. 29,1964, 901,548

Claims. (Cl. 24—30.5)

This invention relates to bag closures and more particularly to closures for plastic bags and the like.

There has always been a continuing problem with respect to closure of bags and more particularly since the innovation of plastic bags of polyethylene or the like, and their widespread acceptance the problem has increased.

With respect to polyethylene bags, two main expedients have been employed: heat sealing and tying. Of these methods heat sealing has generally proved more acceptable since it provides an air or watertight package. However, the advantages have been limited due to the equipment necessary and the awkward methods employed.

In many food packaging applications, it has proved harmful to the product. Tying does not prove satisfactory because the equipment there is also awkward and the bag provided has to be of a larger size.

In both instances above the closure methods have been referred to in the context of a permanent closure. Obviously, heat-sealing suffices for a package until it reaches the consumer, but once opened a second closure method or means is required. Tying does not have such a disadvantage but the tie, be it string or wire, depends for its effectiveness upon the individual who effects the closure.

With this present invention, the inventor provides means for effecting a closure of bags and the like, particularly plastic bags which may be employed both as a temporary and a permanent closure. In both situations, it has been found that the closure also effects a substantially air and watertight seal which enables the product to be kept packaged for long periods and yet will be removed and replaced with facility even by a less well coordinated individual.

It is also important in bag closures that the cost be at a minimum and the structure of the closures which embodies the present invention be simple in structure and may be manufactured at a minimal cost as compared to the more complex molded closures now in favor.

In accordance with the present invention, the inventor provides a closure for flexible containers comprising; a normally planar member including a terminally curled portion defining a container wall receiving chamber, said curled portion having an end portion providing with an adjacent edge of said member a chamber entry throat of reducing width, said member being of resilient material whereby upon application of said closure to a container and relative rotation therebetween at least said end portion flexes out of the member plane, against a tendency to revert to said plane, to permit entry of said container wall and close said container.

In accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a closure for flexible containers comprsing; a normally planar member including a terminally curled portion defining a container wall receiving chamber, said curled portion having an end portion providing with a first part of an adjacent edge of said member a chamber entry throat of reducing width and with a second part of an adjacent edge a chamber egress throat of reducing width, said member being of resilient material whereby upon rotation of said closure about a container in first and second directions, said container is respectively closed and opened, with a least said end portion flexing out of the member plane against a tendency to revert to said plane, to permit entry and egress, respectively of said container wall.

It is accordingly the main object of this present invention to provide an improved closure for flexible containers or bags.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a closure for flexible containers or bags which may be employed either as a permanent or a temporary closure.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a closure for flexible containers or bags which will provide a substantially air and watertight seal.

These and other features and objects of the present invention will be more apparent from the following description in which specific embodiments are described with reference to the drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a three-quarter perspective view of a bag closure in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a closure in accordance with the present invention and the top of a flexible container and serves to illustrate a method of opening or closing a flexible container with a closure in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of a flexible container closed by means of a closure in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURES 4, 5 and 6 are fragmentary enlarged plan views of alternative embodiments of closures in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURES 7, 8 and 9 are plane views which illustrate a method of closing a flexible container employing one embodiment of the present invention; and FIGURES 10, 11 and 12 are side elevations of FIGURES 7, 8 and 9, respectively.

Referring now to the drawings, in FIGURE 1 there is illustrated a general perspective view of a closure member in accordance with the present invention, which closure member is generally indicated by the numeral 10. As illustrated, the closure member 10 comprises a substantially flat body of a flexible or resilient material such as suitable synthetic plastic or an equivalent material. It may be said in this embodiment, that the body of the closure member 10 has a width of greater dimensions at all points than the corresponding depth or height. Closure member 10 includes a handle 11 which has a terminally curled portion 12 having portions 13 and 14 as illustrated in FIGURE 1 so that normally, portions 13 and 14 extend in substantially the same plane as the main body of the closure member 10 and define a container wall receiving chamber 17. Portion 14 terminates in an end section 15 which is disposed closely adjacent to the adjacent edge wall of the portion 13 in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 1. For convenience, the adjacent side walls of end section 15 and portion 13 may be spaced apart a short distance to permit easy access of the bag wall. However, it will be noticed that the outer wall 21 of end section 15 defines, in this embodiment, with the adjacent side of portion B, an external substantially V-shaped opening 20, a chamber entry throat of reducing width, and the inner wall 22 defines with the adjacent side of portion B, a second substantially V-shaped opening 16 a chamber egress throat of reducing width which connects or communicates with the container wall receiving chamber 17 defined by the portion 14 and 13 with the V-shaped opening 20.

It will, of course, be understood that the handle portion 11 may not be considered as constituting a separate portion but the terminally curled portion arm 12 may be considered as having an extended portion which would constitute means for the operator to obtain a purchase on the closure member.

In FIGURES 4, 5 and 6, enlarged fragmentary sec3,284, tions of alternate embodiments of the closing end of the closure member illustrated in FIGURE 1 are illustrated.

The embodiment illustrated in FIGURE 4 again comprises a portion 12. which includes further portions 13 ' and 14 which extends in the same plane and define a con- 5 tainer wall receiving chamber 17. The portion 14 has an end section 15 which is terminated in a flattened end surface 18. The corresponding adjacent side wall of portion 13. is provided with a step such as 19 and the, two adjacent surfaces 18 and 19 are disposed in an abutting relationship. It will, of course, be appreciated that a small gap may be left between these two last-mentioned . surfaces. However, it will be noticed that the external side surface 21 of end section .15 will define a substantially V-shaped opening 20, a chamber entry throat of re- 15 ducing width, with the adjacent side wall of portion 12.

In FIGURE 5, the fragmentary view of the end closing portion of this embodiment also comprises a portion 12 having further portions 13 and 14 which extend in the same plane and define a container wall receiving chamber 20 17. As with the embodiment illustrated in FIGURE .4, portion 14 of this embodiment has an end section 15 with a straight end edge 18 which defines a generally V-shaped passage, a chamber egress throat of reducing width, with the adjacent side wall of portion 13 communicating with 25 the container wall receiving compartment 17. Again external side wall 21 of end section 15 defines a substantially V-shaped opening 20, a chamber entry throat of reducing width, with the adjacent side wall of portion 12. 30

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGURE 6, the closure member comprises a portion 12 including further portions 13 and 14 which extend in substantially the same plane to define a container wall receiving chamber 17. As in the previous embodiments, portion 14 is provided 35 with an end section 15. which is pointed as at 23.. In this present embodiment, again the external side section surface 21 of end wall 15 defines a substantially V-shaped opening 20, a chamber entry throat of reducing width,, with the adjacent side wall. ⁴θ

The operation

The operator when he or she wishes to close a bag such' as 30 of FIGURE 2, places a portion or all of the bag wall in the gap or throat 20 and rotates the closure mem- 43 ber 10 in the direction illustrated by the ON arrow in FIGURE 1. As the closure member 10 is rotated the bag wall is either pulled between the adjacent or abutting side walls of portion 13 and the end section 15, or the closure member 10 is moved relative to the bag wall· so 50 that the container wall finds its way into the container wall receiving chamber 17. To remove the closure member 10, the operation is reversed and the container may either be considered to be expelled from the chamber 17 or the closure member 10 is removed from the con- 55 tainer.

The reversing feature just described is characteristic of the embodiment illustrated in FIGURES 1, 2, 3 and 5. In all of the embodiments illustrated the closure mounting is as described and will now.be described in detail 60 with respect to FIGURES 7 through 12 inclusive which are schematic plan views from the bottom and corresponding side elevations of a closure member such as 10 being mounted on a bag or container such as 30. ,

Initially, a portion of bag wall 30 is placed in opening 65 20 in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 7 and member 10 is rotated in the direction of the arrow. By the time the position illustrated in FIGURE 8 is achieved,' portion 14 is in the position illustrated and by virtue of the resilient flexibility of member 10, the end section 15 has 70 assumed the attitude shown, that is bent out of its plane. The rotation of closure member 10 is continued and as it reaches the position illustrated in FIGURE 9, the end section 15 .and portion 12 have the relative positions ' · ' illustrated,’ It will·thus be seen that.the closure member is virtually screwed .on to the bag. · Since the closure member 10 is resilient, it tends to revert to the original formation of FIGURE 1, the bag wall 30 will be: securely held in the position in FIGURE! 3. The closure is substantially air and water tight.

To . remove the· closure member· 10,: the procedure is reversed with, la consequent reversal of the motion of the relative parts.

With the embodiments illustrated in FIGURES 4 and 6, the mounting as mentioned previously is substantially the same. However, . these embodiments of · the closure member 10 are not reversible.·,

To remove the closure member 10 of the embodiments in FIGURES 4 and 6, the free portion of the bag should, as in FIGURE 3, be moved to the other side of the handle portion 11 as indicated by the arrow and the closure member 10. twisted off;,

In the embodiment of FIGURE 6,· the point 23 does not permit removal of the bag without tearing it.

From the above,,it will be seen that a closure in accord-: ance: with the present invention is simple in structure and economical,to produce· and may be used· with facility.

While the present invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, it will be understood that other forms and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the appended claims.