Bag

• US 7,416,337 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2005
• Issued: 08/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jactech APS
• Original Assignee: Jactech APS
• Inventors: Munch-Fals, Preben
• Primary Examiner(s): Pascua; Jes F
• Application Number:
  US11/210,474
• Publication Number:
  US 20050276523A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,099 Days
• Field of Search: 383/34, 383/34.1, 383/33, 383/35, 248/99, 248/100, 248/101
• US Class Current: 383/34
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 33/007 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 Class Codes: B65D 33/2508 using slide fasteners with interlocking members having a substantially uniform section throughout the length of the fastener; Sliders therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 33/30 Deformable or resilient metal or like strips or bands B65D33/1616 takes precedence

Abstract

A bag, for e.g. collecting garbage or freezing foods, includes a thin, flexible material, e.g. plastic foil formed with an opening, which in its flat-laid state is bounded by two facing edges. A flexible stiffener made of plastic or a similar material is attached along each of these edges. The two stiffeners are connected with a foil hinge at their ends. The bag is furthermore provided with means to bend the stiffeners in a direction opposite to each other. A single operator, without the risk of soiling his or her fingers, can quickly and easily fill the bag.

Claims

1. A bag comprising:

a thin, flexible material formed with an opening, which in the bag'"'"'s flat-laid state is bounded by two facing edges,

one or more stiffeners attached to or integrated into either in part or fully along each of the edges, the material, the dimensions, and the geometry of the stiffeners being chosen such that they are sufficiently stiff to hold the bag in an open state where the bag can be filled, yet sufficiently flexible to let themselves be moved or bent to a state where the bag assumes this open state,

at least one hinge interconnecting the stiffeners, and

means to bend or move the stiffeners in directions opposite to each other, wherein the means comprises two arms, each arm being pivotably connected to at least one stiffener, wherein one or more connections between the arms and stiffeners allow for varying angles between them, and wherein the arms allow a moment to be applied to the stiffeners about a point at, or at a short distance from, one of the at least one hinges, by pivoting the arms.

2. The bag according to claim 1 wherein the thin, flexible material is a plastic.

3. The bag according to claim 1 wherein the stiffeners are made of plastic material.

4. The bag according to claim 1 wherein the flexible hinge is made of plastic material.

5. The bag according to claim 1, wherein the one or more connections between the arms and stiffeners is formed such that the arm is prevented from pivoting further relative to the stiffener to allow a moment to be applied around the hinge between the stiffeners to which the arms are connected.

6. The bag according to claim 5, wherein the one or more connections between the arms and stiffeners is produced by a hinge and end surfaces, which are formed on the stiffeners and the arm respectively and which push against each other when the arm reaches the predetermined angle to the stiffener.

7. The bag according to claim 5, wherein the hinge about which a moment is applied to the stiffeners is at an angle to the stiffeners.

8. The bag according to claim 1, wherein each arm has a starting position with the bag closed, where it lays mainly next to the respective stiffener, and an end position with the bag open, where the two arms stretch out mainly alongside or at an angle to one another.

9. The bag according to claim 1, wherein the stiffeners are formed with locking means.

10. The bag according to claim 9, wherein the locking means comprises a groove on one stiffener and a complimentary rib on the other stiffener.

11. The bag according to claim 9, wherein the stiffeners are arranged such that when a moment is applied around the hinge, the locking or sealing mechanism is unlocked or unsealed.

12. The bag according to claim 1, wherein a conventional bag sealing or closing means is integrated into the bag.

13. The bag according to claim 1, comprising at least one hinge that does not physically connect the stiffeners to each other.

14. A bag comprising:

a thin, flexible material formed with an opening, which in the bag'"'"'s flat-laid state is bounded by two facing edges,

one or more stiffeners attached to or integrated into either in part or fully along each of the edges, the material, the dimensions, and the geometry of the stiffeners being chosen such that they are sufficiently stiff to hold the bag in an open state where the bag can be filled, yet sufficiently flexible to let themselves be moved or bent to a state where the bag assumes this open state,

at least one hinge interconnecting the stiffeners, and

means to bend or move the stiffeners in directions opposite to each other, wherein the means comprises two arms, each arm being connected to at least one stiffener, wherein the arms allow a moment to be applied to the stiffeners about a point at, or at a short distance from, one of the at least one hinges, by pivoting the arms about that point,

wherein one end of each arm is pivotably connected to a stiffener at, or at a distance from, one end of the stiffener and that at a predetermined angle between the arm and the stiffener, so that a moment producing connection is formed such that the arm is prevented from pivoting further relative to the stiffener to allow a moment to be applied around the hinge between the stiffeners to which the arms are connected, and

wherein the moment producing connection is produced by a hinge and a flexible or articulated strap which is connected with an area on respectively the arm and the stiffener at a distance from the hinge, and which is taut when the arm reaches the predetermined angle to the stiffener.

15. A bag comprising:

a thin, flexible material formed with an opening, which in the bag'"'"'s flat-laid state is bounded by two facing edges,

one or more stiffeners attached to or integrated into either in part or fully along each of the edges, the material, the dimensions, and the geometry of the stiffeners being chosen such that they are sufficiently stiff to hold the bag in an open state where the bag can be filled, yet sufficiently flexible to let themselves be moved or bent to a state where the bag assumes this open state,

at least one hinge interconnecting the stiffeners, and

means to bend or move the stiffeners in directions opposite to each other, wherein the means comprises two arms, each arm being connected to at least one stiffener, wherein the arms allow a moment to be applied to the stiffeners about a point at, or at a short distance from, one of the at least one hinges, by pivoting the arms about that point,

wherein one end of each arm is pivotably connected to a stiffener at, or at a distance from, one end of the stiffener and that at a predetermined angle between the arm and the stiffener, so that a moment producing connection is formed such that the arm is prevented from pivoting further relative to the stiffener to allow a moment to be applied around the hinge between the stiffeners to which the arms are connected, and wherein the arms are formed with fastening means to lock the arms together when the bag is in an open or closed state.

16. The bag according to claim 15, wherein the fastening means comprises one or more snap fasteners.