Bag with gripping bands

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9624003-B1
Application number	US-201514951134-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Nov 24, 2015
Priority date	Nov 24, 2015
Publication date	Apr 18, 2017
Grant date	Apr 18, 2017

Abstract

A bag and closure for a bag. The closure includes interlocking closure profiles that extend along the width of the closure and are selectively matable to close the closure or bag. The closure profiles are configured to be spaced apart from the top end of the bag. The closure further includes grip spacing formations that extend along the width of the closure. When the profiles mate, the grip spacing formations engage one another and urge opposing top end portions of the bag or closure outward to define an enlarged gap. The opposing top end portions, thus, define gripping bands that are accessible for being gripped during bag opening.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A closure for selectively closing a bag, the closure comprising:
first and second closure members, each closure member comprising:
a support wall having a top end and a bottom end spaced apart along a height and a first side and a second side spaced apart along a width;
an interlocking profile extending along the width of the respective support wall at a location spaced apart from the top end of the support wall; and
a grip spacing formation extending along the width of the support wall at a location spaced apart from the top end of the support wall,
the support wall defining a grip segment extending between the top end of the support wall and the grip spacing formation;

the interlocking profiles of the first and second closure members being configured for selective complementary interlocking engagement to close the closure; and
the grip spacing formations of the first and second closure members being sized and arranged for engaging one another and deflecting the grip segments of the first and second closure members outwardly apart from one another when the closure is closed to define an enlarged gap at the top ends of the support walls;
wherein each grip segment extends upward from the respective grip spacing formation at a living hinge, each grip segment being flexibly pivotable about the respective living hinge.

2. A closure as set forth in claim 1 wherein at least one of the grip spacing formations projects inward from the respective support wall.

3. A closure as set forth in claim 1 wherein each grip spacing formation comprises a grip spacing projection projecting inward from the respective support wall.

4. A closure as set forth in claim 3 wherein the grip spacing projections are shaped and arranged for interfering engagement with each other when the closure is closed.

5. A closure as set forth in claim 3 wherein each grip spacing projection extends inward from a joint with the respective support wall and curves upwardly toward a free end as it extends inward from the joint.

6. A closure as set forth in claim 3 wherein each grip spacing projection is resiliently biased inwardly toward a non-deflected position.

7. A closure as set forth in claim 6 wherein said engagement of the grip spacing formations deflects the grip spacing projections outward to a respective deflected position closer to the respective support wall than the non-deflected position.

8. A closure as set forth in claim 1 wherein each grip spacing formation is spaced apart from the top end of the respective support wall toward the bottom end of the respective support wall.

9. A closure as set forth in claim 8 wherein each grip spacing formation is spaced apart from the top end of the respective support wall by a first distance and from the respective interlocking profile by a second distance, the first distance being larger than the second distance.

10. A closure as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of the first and second profile members is formed as one piece of material.

11. A closure as set forth in claim 1 wherein the interlocking profile of the first closure member is a male connector and the interlocking profile of the second closure is a female connector.

12. A closure as set forth in claim 1 wherein the each of the first and second closure members is configured to be separately joined to a respective panel of the bag.

13. A closure as set forth in claim 1 wherein the closure is integrally formed with the bag.

14. A closure as set forth in claim 1 wherein the grip segments are configured to form gripping bands of the bag.

15. A closure as set forth in claim 1 wherein the grip segments are configured to be joined to gripping bands of a bag and to space the gripping bands apart from one another to define a gap for receiving a finger therein when urged outwardly apart from one another by said engagement of the grip spacing formations.

16. A bag having first and second sides spaced apart along a width and top and bottom ends spaced apart along a height, the bag comprising:
first and second panels joined together along the first and second sides and bottom ends of the first and second panels to define a bag interior and having top end portions that are not joined together to define a bag opening, each of the first and second body panels comprising:
a gripping band extending along the width of the bag at the top end portion of the respective panel;
an interlocking closure profile extending along the width of the bag and spaced from the respective gripping band toward the bottom ends of the first and second panels;
the interlocking closure profiles of the first and second panels being shaped and arranged for selective interlocking engagement to close the bag opening; and

a grip spacing formation extending along the first panel widthwise of the bag, the grip spacing formation being sized and arranged to engage the second panel and deflect the gripping band of the second panel away from the gripping band of the first panel to define an enlarged gap therebetween at the top end of the bag when the closure profiles are in interlocking engagement;
wherein the gripping band of the first panel is joined to the grip spacing formation at a living hinge and is flexibly pivotable about the living hinge.

17. A bag as set forth in claim 16 further comprising a grip spacing formation extending along the second panel widthwise of the bag, at least one of the grip spacing formations projects inward toward the opposing grip spacing formation.

18. A bag as set forth in claim 16 further comprising a grip spacing formation extending along the second panel widthwise of the bag, wherein each of the grip spacing formations comprises a grip spacing projection projecting inward toward the opposing grip spacing formation, the grip spacing formations being sized and arranged to engage each other to deflect the gripping bands apart from each other to define the enlarged gap at the top end of the bag when the closure profiles are in interlocking engagement.

19. A bag as set forth in claim 16 further comprising a grip spacing formation extending along the second panel widthwise of the bag, wherein the gripping band of the second panel is joined to the grip spacing formation of the second panel at a living hinge and is flexibly pivotable about the living hinge.

20. A bag having first and second sides spaced apart along a width and top and bottom ends spaced apart along a height, the bag comprising:
first and second panels joined together along the first and second sides and the bottom end of the bag to define a bag interior and having top end portions that are not joined together to define a bag opening, each of the first and second panels comprising:
a gripping band extending along the width of the bag at the top end portion of the respective panel;
an interlocking closure profile extending along the width of the bag and spaced from the respective gripping band toward the bottom end of the bag; and
a grip spacing projection extending along the width of the bag and spaced from the interlocking closure profile toward the top end of the bag, the grip spacing projection extending inward from a joint with the panel and curving upwardly toward the top end portion of the panel to a free end as it extends inward from the joint;

wherein the interlocking closure profiles of the first and second panels are shaped and arranged for selective interlocking engagement to close the bag opening; and
wherein the grip spacing projections are

Assignees

• Inteplast Group Ltd
• Inteplast Group Corp

Inventors

• Tseng Ben
• Li Jyh-Yao Raphael
• Yang Kelvin

Classifications

• B65D33/24

  using self-locking integral or attached closure elements, e.g. flaps (B65D33/25 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65D33/2508 Primary

  using slide fasteners with interlocking members having a substantially uniform section throughout the length of the fastener; Sliders therefor · CPC title

• B65D33/007

  for facilitating the separation of the two walls, e.g. walls of inequal height, tabs; for maintaining the mouth of the sack or bag open · CPC title

• B65D33/2541 Primary

  characterised by the slide fastener, e.g. adapted to interlock with a sheet between the interlocking members having sections of particular shape · CPC title