CLOSURE CLIP FOR PLASTIC BAGS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES

AGRAFE DE FERMETURE POUR SACS ET ARTICLES SIMILAIRES EN MATIERE PLASTIQUE

English Abstract

A bag closure clip is provided which consists of a pair
of arms, each having a handle at a first end and a jaw at a
second end and a hinge mechanism for permitting pivoting the
arms to move from an open position in which the jaws are
separated to a closed position so that the jaws are together.
Another mechanism is provided for biasing the arms to the
closed position, so that the jaws are normally together, to
make an airtight seal on a plastic bag. When the handles are
manually squeezed together the arms will move into an opened
position to separate the jaws and release the airtight seal on
the plastic bag.

Claims

- 8 -
CLAIMS
What is claimed is:
1. A bag closure clip which comprises:
a) a pair of arms, each having a handle at a first end
and a jaw at a second end;
b) means for permitting pivoting of said arms from an
open position, in which said jaws are separated to a closed
position so that said jaws are together; and
c) means for biasing said arms to the closed position,
so that said jaws are normally together to make an airtight
seal on a plastic bag, whereby when said handles are manually
squeezed together said arms will move into the opened position
to separate said jaws and release the airtight seal on the
plastic bag.
2. A bag closure clip as recited in Claim 1, further
including an ornament affixed to one said arm to simulate a
tie closure.
3. A bag closure clip as recited in Claim 2, further
including a magnet member affixed to one said handle, so that
said closure clip can be removably attached to a magnetic
surface.

- 9 -
4. A bag closure clip as recited in Claim 3, wherein
each said jaw includes a plurality of teeth and having at
least one half of a transverse gripping hole on its inner
surface to make an airtight seal on the plastic bag.
5. A bag closure clip as recited in Claim 4, wherein
said pivoting means includes:
a) said first arm having a transverse curved slot on
its inner surface adjacent said handle to form a female
socket; and
b) said second arm having a transverse curved member on
its inner surface adjacent said handle to form a male
protrusion, which engages with said transverse curved slot to
form a hinge.
6. A bag closure clip as recited in Claim 5, wherein
said biasing means includes:
a) each said arm having a least one transverse groove
on its outer surface between said handle and said jaw; and
b) a tension element to engage with said at least one
transverse groove on each said arm.

Description

212~926
ÇLQSURE_CLIP FOR PLASTIC BAGS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The instant invention relates generally to tie devices
but more specifically it relates to a bag closure clip and
similar articles.
Numerous tie devices have been provided in the prior art
that are adapted to close plastic bags in a way that their
contents are not prematurely spilled therefrom. For example,
U.S. patents numbered 3,565,738 to Kirkpatrick; 3,974,960 to
Mitchell and 4,906,108 to Harrington et al all are
illustrative of such prior art. While these units may be
suitable for the particular purpose to which they address,
they would not be as suitable for the purpose of the present
invention as hereafter described.

212592~
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A primary object of the present invention is to provide
a bag closure clip that will overcome the shortcomings of the
prior art devices.
Another object is to provide a bag closure clip that
will replace wire ties and plastic tabs, to make an airtight
seal for any plastic bag wrapped item to keep it protected.
An additional object is to provide a bag closure clip
that is fabricated out of plastic so as to be washable and
freezer safe.
A further object is to provide a bag closure clip that
is simple and easy to use.
A still further object is to provide a bag closure clip
that is economical in cost to manufacture.
Further objects of the invention will appear as the
description proceeds.
To the accomplishment of the above and related objects,
this invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the
accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact,
however, that the drawings are illustrative only and that
changes may be made in the specific construction illustrated
and described within the scope of the appended claims.

212~926
BRIEF DESCRIPTION_OF THE DRAWING FIGURES
The figures in the drawings are briefly described as
follows:
Figure 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the
instant invention;
Figure 2 is an elevational view taken generally in the
direction of arrow 2 in Figure l;
Figure 3 is a diagrammatic perspective view showing each
half of the instant invention separated from each other;
Figure 4 is a side elevational view taken in the
direction of arrow 4 in Figure 1, illustrating a rubber band
biasing mechanism;
Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view of a second alternate
biasing mechanism;
Figure 6 is a diagrammatic side elevational view
illustrating yet a third alternate biasing mechanism;
Figure 7 is a diagrammatic perspective view taken in the
direction of arrow 7 in Figure 6 illustrating just the third
alternate biasing mechanism per se;

21~2~
Figure 8 is a diagrammatic side elevational view
illustrating still a fourth alternate biasing mechanism;
Figure 9 is a diagrammatic perspective view taken in the
direction of arrow 9 in Figure 8 illustrating just the fourth
alternate biasing mechanism per se; and
Figure 10 illustrates the instant invention being used
as a closure device typically for a bagged loaf of bread.

212~9~6
DETAILED DESCRIPTIQN OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Turning now descriptively to the drawings, in which
similar reference characters denote similar elements
throughout the several views, the Figures illustrate a bag
closure clip 10 which consists of a pair of arms 12, each
having a handle 14 at a first end and a jaw 16 at a second
end. A mechanism 18 is for permitting pivoting of the arms 12
from an open position in which the jaws 16 are separated to a
closed position so that the jaws are together. Another
mechanism 20 is for biasing the arms 12 to the closed
position, so that the jaws 16 are normally together to make an
airtight seal on a plastic bag 22. When the handles 14 are
manually squeezed together the arms 12 will move into the
opened position to separate the jaws 16 and release the air
tight seal on the plastic bag 22.
An ornament 24, typically but not limited to a bow is
affixed to one arm 12 to simulate a tie closure. A magnet 24
may be affixed to one handle 14, so that the closure clip 10
can be removably attached to a magnetic surface (not shown).
Each jaw contains a plurality of teeth 26 and has at
least one half of a transverse gripping hole 28 on its inner
surface 30 to permit the gathering of some of the plastic bag
material therein, in order to create a seal which is more
likely to be air tight on the plastic bag 22.
The pivoting mechanism 18 includes the first arm 12
having a transverse curved slot 32 on its inner surface 30

~1~5Y2~
adjacent the handle 14 to form a female socket. The second
arm 12 has a transverse curved member 34 on its inner surface
30 adjacent the handle 14 to form a male protrusion which
engages with the transverse curved slot 32, and creates a
hinge.
The biasing mechanism 20 includes each arm 12 having at
least one transverse groove 36 on its outer surface 38 between
the handle 14 and the jaw 16. A tension element 40 is
provided to engage with the at least one transverse groove 36
on each arm 12. The tension element 40 can be, but not
limited to a rubber band shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4, or
various shaped metal wire spring members shown in Figures 5
through 9. The biasing force between jaw can be adjusted by
judiciously choosing a particular grooves 36.
To utilize the bag closure clip 10 the following steps
should be implemented:
1. Squeeze the handles 14 of the arms 12 together to
pivot the arms 12 in the open position to separate the jaws
16.
2. Place the twisted end of the bag 22 between the jaws
16.
3. Release the handles 14 of the arms, so that the arms
12 will move to the closed position, so that the jaws 16 will
come together to grip the twisted end of the bag 22 by the
teeth 26 or by the transverse gripping hole 28.
While certain novel features of this invention have been
shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claims,

212~26
it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions
and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated
and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art
without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Representative Drawing