US20030035596A1

US20030035596A1 - Closing device for bag

Info

Publication number: US20030035596A1
Application number: US10/219,944
Authority: US
Inventors: Jean-Marie Martineau; Benoit Martineau
Original assignee: VALEMBAL SA
Current assignee: VALEMBAL SA
Priority date: 2001-08-17
Filing date: 2002-08-16
Publication date: 2003-02-20
Also published as: FR2828677A1; FR2828677B1

Abstract

This invention relates to a closing device (10) for a bag (1), particularly an insulated bag (1), comprising a first section (100) fitted with a handle (103) and fixed along part of the periphery on the side on which the bag (1) is open, and a second section (110) fixed by a portion of its said external surface along another part of this periphery and through which a hole is formed along a centre line (A) in which, the handle (103) can be inserted in a plane containing the centre line of the hole and the said insertion plane. This closing device is characterised in that it comprises means of fixing the handle (103) in the position inserted in the hole in the second section (110).

Description

This invention relates to a closing device for a bag, and particularly an insulated bag.

For example, an insulated bag may be composed of two sides assembled through bellows to give a certain volume to the bag. In prior art, devices for closing insulated bags are known comprising a first section on which a handle is fitted and fixed at one end of a side of the bag on the side of the opening. A second section in which a hole is perforated is fixed to the other side facing the first section. The bag is closed by inserting the handle through the second section and passing through the hole. This keeps the bag well closed when it is gripped by the handle. However, it has been observed that when a bag full of products is placed on a support, the handle tends to slide and is partially or completely extracted from the hole. Thus, frozen products located in the bag are no longer properly insulated from the outside and can deteriorate.

Therefore, the purpose of the invention is to propose a closing device, particularly for an insulated bag, making the bag perfectly airtight in all types of situation even when it is put down.

This purpose is achieved by the closing device for a bag comprising a first section fitted with a handle and fixed along part of the periphery on the side on which the bag is open, and a second section fixed by a portion of its said external surface along another part of this periphery and through which a hole is formed along a centre line in which, the handle can be inserted in a plane containing the centre line of the hole and the said insertion plane, characterised in that it comprises means of fixing the handle in the position inserted in the hole in the second section, these fixing means comprising at least two pins projecting from the surface opposite the external surface of the second section and the said internal surface, along a direction perpendicular to the insertion plane and located along the insertion plane on each side of the hole, and the fixing means also comprise stop means on the first section at the pins in the direction of extraction of the handle in the inserted position.

According to another feature, the second section comprises a parallelepiped-shaped plate through which the hole is drilled and two flanges extending on each side of this plate perpendicular to and in the same direction as the two edges parallel to the insertion plane.

According to another feature, the pins are formed on a flange of the second section.

According to another feature, the hole has a rectangular cross-section and it is centred on the parallelepiped-shaped plate.

According to another feature, one flange is longer than the other.

According to another feature, the longest flange is fixed by a portion of its external surface onto the internal surface of the bag.

According to another feature, the first section is composed of a rigid band with a given thickness less than the distance separating the two flanges, and a strip forming stop means is formed along one side of this band called the outer face, along one of the longitudinal edges of this face, and in that the handle is fixed on the edge adjacent to this longitudinal edge.

According to another feature, the pins are formed on the smallest flange of the second section at a distance from the parallelepiped-shaped part significantly greater than the width of the strip and their free end is located at a distance from the other flange less than the thickness of the edge of the first section supporting the handle.

According to another feature, the first section is fixed on the inside surface of the bag by the part of the outside face not occupied by the strip.

Another purpose of the invention is to propose the use of a closing device for an insulated bag, this bag being composed of a polyethylene foam sandwiched between a food quality polyethylene sheet on the inside of the bag, and a metallised polyester sheet, and a sheet of transparent polyethylene is placed on the outside of the sheet.

The invention and its characteristics and advantages will be more clearly understood after reading the description with reference to the attached drawings in which: [0014]
FIG. 1 shows a partial section through an insulated bag provided with the closing device according to the invention, [0015]
FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the closing device according to the invention, [0016]
FIG. 3 shows a front view of the closing device according to the invention, [0017]
FIG. 4 shows a bottom view of the closing device according to the invention, [0018]
FIG. 5 shows a top view of the closing device according to the invention, [0019]
FIG. 6 shows the closing device according to the invention along section A-A in FIG. 3.[0020]
We will now describe the invention with reference to FIGS. [0021] 1 to 6.
With reference to FIG. 1, an insulated bag ([0022] 1) may for example be composed of two sides (11, 12) connected by bellows (13) to give it a certain volume. For example, the bag (1) may comprise a flat bottom (not shown) such that when the bag is in the closed position and seen from the side, the bag is in the shape of an isosceles triangle. The bag (1) is composed of a transparent low density polyethylene sheet (14) on the outside, deposited on a metallised polyester film. On the inside, the bag is composed of a low density food quality polyethylene sheet (16). These two sheets are fixed together around their periphery, for example by heat sealing, in order to form a cover. A polyethylene foam (15) is placed between the two sheets which will provide thermal insulation for the bag (1).
The bag will comprise a closing device ([0023] 10) composed of two different sections according to the invention. A first section (100) is composed of a rod elongated along a <<longitudinal>> axis made of rigid plastic with a rectangular transverse cross-section with a small thickness (e). A strip (102) is formed along the largest edge (101) of this rod, called the outside face, along one of the longitudinal edges. A handle (103) used to grip the bag (1) is formed or. the edge (105) of the rod, adjacent to the strip ((102). The handle (103) is centred within the length of the first section. This handle may for example be provided with mouldings (104) matching the shape of a hand when it is gripped.
According to the invention, the second section ([0024] 110) is approximately the same length as the first section (100). This second section (110) is composed of a parallelepiped-shaped plate (111) through which a rectangular section hole centred on the plate (111) is formed along an axis (A). The dimensions of this hole are determined such that the handle (103) may be inserted along a plane comprising the centre line (A) of the hole and called the insertion plane on one side of the hole, and protects almost completely at the other side of the hole, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. This second section (110) also comprises two flanges (112, 113) extending perpendicularly and in the same direction, with two edges parallel to the insertion plane .These two flanges (112, 113) have different lengths and different thicknesses, the longest flange (113) being the thickest, to make it stiffer. The distance between the two flanges (112, 113) is significantly greater than the thickness (e′) of the first section (100) , measured at the strip (102). Thus the handle (103) may be inserted into the hole along the insertion plane such that the first section (100) is trapped between the two flanges (112, 113), until the edge (105) of the first section adjacent to the strip (102) stops in contact with the said internal face of the plate (111) of the second section (110).
At least two pins ([0025] 114, 115) are formed on the face (116) of the shortest flange (112) adjacent to the inside face of the plate (111). The pins (114, 115) are located on each side of the hole, particularly to not hinder the insertion of the handle (103) in the hole. For example, each pin will be at a distance of about 1 cm from the end of the hole.
The free ends of the pins ([0026] 114, 115) are at a distance from the longest flange (113) that is greater than the thickness (e) of the rod of the first section (100) but less than the thickness (e′) of the first section measured at the strip. Each pin (114, 115) is also located at a distance from the inside face of the plate (111) that is significantly greater than the width of the strip (102). The handle (103) may be inserted into and extracted from the hole by elastic deformation of the pins (114, 115) with respect to the strip (102) or vice versa.
According to the invention, placement of the pins ([0027] 114, 115) is important since the shortest flange (112) is very flexible close to the hole. If the pins were placed on the shortest flange (112) at the hole, the first section (100) would come undone easily, due to its flexibility, particularly when the bag (1) is deformed by the articles contained in it.
According to the invention, part of the outside face of the longest flange of the second section is fixed, for example by heat sealing, on the ends located on the side of the opening called the top of one side ([0028] 12) of the bag (1). The first section (100) is fixed facing the second section (110) on the other side (11) through its outside face, in the same way.
It must be obvious to persons skilled in the art, that this invention. can be used in many specific forms of embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention as claimed. Consequently, the embodiments described here must be considered as illustrations, out can be modified within the scope defined in the appended claims, and the invention must not be limited to the details given above. [0029]

Claims

1. Closing device (10) for a bag (1), comprising a first section (100) fitted with a handle (103) and fixed along part of the periphery on the side on which the bag (1) is open, and a second section (110) fixed by a portion of its said external surface along another part of this periphery and through which a hole is formed along a centre line (A) in which, the handle (103) can be inserted in a plane containing the centre line of the hole and the said insertion plane, characterised in that it comprises means of fixing the handle (103) in the position inserted in the hole in the second section (110), these fixing means comprising at least two pins (114, 115) protecting from the surface opposite the external surface of the second section (110) and the said internal surface, along a direction perpendicular to the insertion plane and located along the insertion plane on each side of the hole, and the fixing means also comprise stop means (102) for the pins (114, 115) in the direction of extraction of the handle (103) in the inserted position, on the first section (100).

2. Closing device (10) according to claim 1, characterised in that the second section (110) comprises a parallelepiped-shaped plate (111) through which the hole is drilled and two flanges (112, 113) extending on each side of this plate (111) perpendicular to and in the same direction as the two edges parallel to the insertion plane.

3. Device (10) according to claim 2, characterised in that the pins (114, 115) are formed on a flange (112) of the second section.

4. Device (10) according to claim 2 or 3, characterised in that the hole has a rectangular cross-section and it is centred on the parallelepiped-shaped plate (111).

5. Device (10) according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterised in that one flange (113) is longer than the other.

6. Device (10) according to claim 5, characterised in that the longest flange (113) is fixed by a portion of its external surface onto the internal surface of the bag (1).

7. Device according to one of claims 2 to 6, characterised in that the first section (100) is composed of a rigid band with a given thickness less than the distance separating the two flanges (112, 113), and a strip (102) forming stop means is formed along one side of this band called the outer face, and in that the handle is fixed on the edge adjacent to this longitudinal edge (103).

8. Device (10) according to one of claims 5 to 7, characterised in that the pins (114, 115) are formed on the smallest flange (112) of the second profile (110) at a distance from the parallelepiped-shaped part significantly greater than the width of the strip (102) and their free end is located at a distance from the other flange less than the thickness (e′) of the edge (105) of the first section supporting the handle (103).

9. Device according to claim 7 or 8, characterised in that the first section is fixed on the inside surface of the bag (1) through the part of the external face not occupied by the strip (102).

10. Use of the closing device for an insulated bag (1) according to claims 1 to 9, this bag being composed of a polyethylene foam (15) sandwiched between a food quality polyethylene sheet (16) on the inside of the bag (1), and a metallised polyester sheet (14), and a sheet of transparent polyethylene is placed on the outside of this sheet.