U.S. patent application number 17/489707 was filed with the patent office on 2022-03-31 for bag packaging closure and dispensing device.
This patent application is currently assigned to Cutting Edge Packaging Solutions, LLC. The applicant listed for this patent is Cutting Edge Packaging Solutions, LLC. Invention is credited to Michael Tucker, Paul Vegliante.
Application Number | 20220097921 17/489707 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | |
Filed Date | 2022-03-31 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20220097921 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Vegliante; Paul ; et
al. |
March 31, 2022 |
Bag Packaging Closure and Dispensing Device
Abstract
A bag packaging closure and dispensing device is disclosed. The
device has first and second legs secured together about a package.
The legs include first and second flexible portions biased apart to
provide a space therebetween for dispensing. A slider is moveable
along the legs to move the first and second flexible portions
together to close the packaging. A method for opening and closing
packaging for dispensing contents is also disclosed.
Inventors: |
Vegliante; Paul; (Franklin
Lakes, NJ) ; Tucker; Michael; (Valatie, NY) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Cutting Edge Packaging Solutions, LLC |
Sarasota |
FL |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Cutting Edge Packaging Solutions,
LLC
Sarasota
FL
|
Appl. No.: |
17/489707 |
Filed: |
September 29, 2021 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
63085118 |
Sep 29, 2020 |
|
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International
Class: |
B65D 33/25 20060101
B65D033/25 |
Claims
1. A bag packaging closure and dispensing device comprising: first
and second legs, including first and second flexible portions,
secured together about a package; the first and second flexible
portions biased apart to provide a space therebetween for
dispensing; and a slider moveable along the legs to move the first
and second flexible portions together to close the packaging.
2. A method for opening and closing packaging for dispensing
contents comprising: attaching first and second legs about an end
of the packaging; securing the first and second legs together about
the packaging; moving a slider along the legs to open and close the
packaging.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein the first and second legs include
flexible portions which are biased apart and moving the slider
along the legs overcomes the bias to close the packaging.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Patent Application No. 63/085,118, filed Sep. 29, 2020, the entire
disclosure of which is hereby expressly incorporated by
reference.
BACKGROUND
Field of the Disclosure
[0002] The present disclosure relates to a bag packaging closure
and dispensing device.
Related Art
[0003] Various foodstuffs, such as potato chips, cereal, popcorn,
rice, and the like are commonly packaged in bags, such as plastic
bags, which are sealed to protect the contents from moisture,
damage and contamination during packaging, transportation, display,
and sale, before eventually being opened by a consumer. These
packaging bags are sealed using adhesives, bonding, welding, and
other sealing mechanisms that, once opened, cannot be resealed. As
such, once a packaging bag is opened, the contents are exposed to
moisture and various forms of contamination.
[0004] Accordingly, what is needed, but has not been developed, is
a device that can be used to dispense a portion of the contents of
a packaging bag, can also reseal the packaging bag until its next
use, and can be reused on another packaging bag.
SUMMARY
[0005] A bag packaging closure and dispensing device has first and
second legs secured together about a package. The first and second
legs include flexible portions biased apart to provide a space
therebetween for dispensing. A slider is moveable along the legs to
move the first and second flexible portions together to close the
packaging.
[0006] A method for opening and closing packaging for dispensing
contents includes attaching first and second legs about an end of
packaging, securing the first and second legs together about
packaging and moving a slider along the legs to open and close the
packaging.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] The foregoing features of the disclosure will be apparent
from the following Detailed Description, taken in connection with
the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0008] FIG. 1 is a top view of the bag packaging closure and
dispensing device of the present disclosure, in a disassembled
configuration;
[0009] FIG. 2 is a top view of the bag packaging closure and
dispensing device of FIG. 1, positioned in an assembled
configuration;
[0010] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the bag packaging closure
and dispensing device of FIG. 2, positioned in a closed
configuration on a packaging bag; and
[0011] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the bag packaging closure
and dispensing device of FIG. 3, positioned in an open
configuration on a packaging bag.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0012] FIGS. 1 and 2 show components of an exemplary bag packaging
closure and dispensing device 10 of the present disclosure and
illustrate assembly thereof. More specifically, FIG. 1 is a top
view showing components of the of the device 10, in a disassembled
configuration, and FIG. 2 is a top view of the device 10, fully
assembled.
[0013] As shown in FIG. 1, the device 10 can include first and
second jaws 22a and 22b, first and second resiliently deformable
rails 16a and 16b, and a slider 26 (see FIG. 2). The rails 16a and
16b and the jaws 22a and 22b can be a unitary component formed, for
example, from resiliently deformable plastic, using an injection
molding process. For example, jaw 22a can be connected to rail 16a
via a first living hinge 34a, rail 16a can be connected to rail 16b
via a second living hinge 34b, and rail 16b can be connected to jaw
22b via a third living hinge 34c. The rails 16a and 16b and the
jaws 22a and 22b can be formed separately and/or of different
materials in the form of multiple components. Jaws 22a and 22b can
be joined together with rails 16a and 16b in any suitable matter,
including rigidly or flexibly, and rails 16a and 16b can be of a
unitary construction or joined together in any suitable manner,
including with a rigid connection or a flexible connection.
[0014] As shown in FIG. 2, the first jaw 22a and the first rail 16a
and the second jaw 22b and the second rail 16b can be rotated about
the hinge 34b, or otherwise positioned together, such that the
first and second rails 16a and 16b and first and second jaws 22a
and 22b are in facing relation, respectively. The slider 26 can be
positioned on the rails 16a and 16b and can be moved along the
rails 16a and 16b in the direction of arrow C, thereby slidably
engaging the slider 26 with the rails 16a and 16b.
[0015] FIGS. 3 and 4 are perspective views of the bag packaging
closure and dispensing device 10 of the present disclosure,
attached to a packaging bag 12. More specifically, FIG. 3 is a
perspective view of the device 10 positioned in a first closed
configuration and FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the device 10
positioned in a second open configuration.
[0016] As shown, the device 10 can be attached, or clipped, about
an open upper edge 14 of the bag 12. The first and second
resiliently deformable rails 16a and 16b can be configured to be
outwardly biased, such that they form a tension circle (e.g., an
opening) 18, therebetween, or other aperture, for dispensing
contents 20 of the bag 12 therethrough. For example, the first and
second rails 16a and 16b can be formed from a resiliently
deformable material, such as plastic, pvc, or the like, including
portions thereof that are generally semi-circular in shape when not
compressed by the slider 26, but which can be flattened when
compressed by the slider 26 (e.g., by moving the slider in the
direction of arrow A), and can return to their semi-circular in
shape when not under compression (e.g., by moving the slider in the
direction of arrow B). The first and second rails 16a and 16b can
be moved between open and closed positions repeatedly to open or
close/seal the packaging bag 12.
[0017] The first and second jaws 22a and 22b can be secured about a
portion of the open upper edge 14 of the bag 12, to secure the
device 10 to the bag 12. The first and second rails 16a and 16b are
positioned about the remainder of the open upper edge 14 of the bag
12. According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the
first and second jaws 22a and 22b can compress the bag 12
therebetween to secure the device to the bag. Locking tabs 24a and
24b, can secure the jaws 22a and 22b against the upper edge 14 of
the bag. The locking tabs 24a and 24b can be in snap-fit engagement
with opposing jaws 22b and 22a, respectively. For example, each of
the locking tabs 24a and 24b can include an arm attached to one of
the jaws at a first end of the arm, and has a finger at the other
end thereof, to engage a notch, detente, or surface located on the
other jaw to secure the jaws 22a and 22b against each other.
Additionally, or alternatively, the jaws 22a and 22b can be
removably secured against each other by way of magnets (not shown),
or any other mechanism for removably securing the jaws 22a and 22b
against each other and compressing the upper edge 14 of the bag 12
therebetween. One or more rubber pads, ribs, or the like (not
shown) can also be disposed on inner adjacent faces of the jaws 22a
and 22b to provide an enhanced seal and/or additional grip between
the jaws 22a and 22b and the upper edge 14 of the bag 12.
[0018] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the slider 26 is slidably
positionable along the rails 16a and 16b to seal the bag 12 (FIG.
3), or to provide access to the contents 20 of the bag (FIG. 4).
For example, when the slider 26 is positioned along the rails 16a
and 16b, as shown in FIG. 3, the tension circle 18 is closed and
the rails 16a and 16b are compressed against the upper edge 14 of
the bag 12, thereby sealing the bag 12. Conversely, when the slider
26 is positioned against the jaws 22a and 22b, as shown in FIG. 4,
the tension circle 18 expands, due to the construction of the rails
16a and 16b, and the contents 20 of the bag 12 can be dispensed. As
shown in FIG. 4, one or more ribs 36, which can be interlocking,
can be disposed on inner adjacent faces of the rails 16a and 16b to
provide an enhanced seal and/or additional grip between the rails
16a and 16b and the upper edge 14 of the bag 12.
[0019] The slider 26 can include first and second concave sidewalls
28a and 28b depending from a top wall 30, as can be seen in FIG. 2.
The concave curvature of the sidewalls 28a and 28b can be
configured to accommodate the curvature of the rails 16a and 16b
when the tension circle 18 is open, thereby reducing the force
needed to move the slider 26 therealong. The concave sidewalls 28a
and 28b can provide ergonomic surfaces for a user to grip the
slider 26, when moving the slider 26 along the rails 16a and 16b,
and can also be provided with surface features (not shown) to
further enhance grip. The slider 26 can also include a projection
32 extending from the top surface 30 of the slider 26 that can also
be grasped by a user to move the slider along the rails 16a and
16b.
[0020] In order to secure the device 10 to the bag 12, a user can
position the first jaw 22a and the first rail 16a against one side
of the open upper edge 14 of the bag 12 and can position the second
jaw 22b and the second rail 16b against an opposite side of the
open upper edge 14 of the bag 12, rotating the second jaw 22b and
the second rail 16b about the hinge 34b, compressing the upper edge
14 of the bag 12 therebetween, and securing the first and second
jaws 22a and 22b to each other, for example via locking tabs 24a
and 24b. The user can then position the slider 26 onto the end of
the rails 16a and 16b (e.g., at the end having the hinge 34b), and
can move the slider 26 along the rails 16a and 16b to engage the
slider 26 with the rails 16a and 16b. In order to remove the device
10 from the bag 12, the user can perform the foregoing steps in
reverse order.
[0021] The device 10 can be sized to accommodate various sizes of
bags and other containers. Those of ordinary skill in the art will
understand that the device 10 can be produced in various sizes
without departing from the spirit and scope of the present
disclosure.
[0022] Having thus described the bag packaging closure and
dispensing device in detail, it is to be understood that the
foregoing description is not intended to limit the spirit or scope
thereof. It will be understood that the present disclosure
described herein is merely exemplary and that a person skilled in
the art may make any variations and modification without departing
from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. All such variations
and modifications, including those discussed above, are intended to
be included within the scope of the disclosure.
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