Child resistant/elderly friendly slider closure arrangement for plastic bags

Abstract

A child resistant/elderly friendly slider closure arrangement for plastic bags includes a finger actuated member that must be actuated before the closure can be opened. The finger actuated member is pivotally mounted on the body of a slider in a location to engage the closure or another slider.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A slider for opening and closing a closure on a plastic bag, comprising: 
 a body portion, and    a finger actuated latch on said body portion for controlling the opening and closing of said closure.    
     
     
         2 . The slider claimed in  claim 1  wherein said finger actuated latch comprises a hook member pivotally mounted on said body portion, said hook member including a finger pad at least partially outside of said body portion and a hook portion in said body for engaging a portion of a closure.  
     
     
         3 . The slider claimed in  claim 1  wherein said finger actuated latch comprises a latch pivotally mounted on said body portion, said latch including a finger engageable portion and a closure separation member.  
     
     
         4 . The slider claimed in  claim 1  wherein said closure includes a knurled portion and said latch includes a portion for engaging said knurled portion.  
     
     
         5 . The slider claimed in  claim 1  further comprising a second slider, said second slider including a first hook, said finger actuated latch including a second hook configured to releasably connect to said first hook.  
     
     
         6 . The slider claimed in  claim 1  wherein said closure includes a locking member and said finger actuated latch including a portion for releasably locking on said locking member.  
     
     
         7 . The slider claimed in  claim 1  wherein said closure includes first and second profiles, said finger actuated latch being adjacent said first and second profiles and biased out of engagement with said first and said second profiles, said finger actuated latch engaging said first and second profiles and opening said closure upon said finger actuated latch being actuated.  
     
     
         8 . The slider claimed in  claim 1  wherein said finger actuated latch includes an upper closure separation member on said body and a lower closure closing member on said body, said body portion mounted on said closure for transverse movement relative to said closure to engage either of said upper closure separation member to open said closure and said lower closure closing member with said closure to close said closure.  
     
     
         9 . A closure slider arrangement for plastic bags, comprising: 
 a closure having first and second interlocking profiles,    a first slider mounted on said closure, a finger actuated lock mechanism actuable to configure said slider to open and close said closure.    
     
     
         10 . The slider closure arrangement of  claim 9  wherein said finger actuated lock mechanism comprises a lever pivotally mounted on said first slider, said lever including a finger pad and a latch, said closure including a notch, said latch located in said notch in a first position of said first slider on said closure, said latch pivoted out of said notch upon movement of said finger pad.  
     
     
         11 . The closure slider arrangement of  claim 9  wherein finger actuated lock mechanism includes a lever pivotally mounted on said first slider, said lever includes a finger pad and a profile separation member, said profile separation member located in said closure, said separation member movable out of said closure upon pivoting said lever.  
     
     
         12 . The slider closure arrangement of  claim 9  wherein said closure includes a roughened portion, said finger actuated lock mechanism includes a lever pivotally mounted on said first slider with one portion of said lever engaging said roughened portion while said lever is in a first position and out of engagement with said roughened portion while said lever is in a second position.  
     
     
         13 . The slider closure arrangement of  claim 9  further comprising a second slider mounted on said closure, said second slider including a latch engageable by said finger actuated lock mechanism to releasably couple said first slider to said second slider.  
     
     
         14 . The slider closure arrangement of  claim 9  further comprising a locking element on said closure, said finger actuated lock mechanism including a portion engageable with said lock element to lock said first slider to said closure.  
     
     
         15 . The slider closure arrangement of  claim 14  wherein said locking element is a post and said portion on said finger actuated lock mechanism fits over said post.  
     
     
         16 . The slider closure arrangement of  claim 14  wherein said portion of said finger actuated lock mechanism includes corresponding sides of said first slider moveable relative to each other to engage and disengage said lock element.  
     
     
         17 . The slider closure arrangement of  claim 14  wherein said portion of said finger actuated lock mechanism includes a lever pivotally mounted on said first slider.  
     
     
         18 . The slider closure arrangement of  claim 9  wherein said finger lock mechanism includes at least a first lever on said first slider moveable to engage said closure to open said closure.  
     
     
         19 . The slider closure arrangement of  claim 9  wherein said finger actuated lock mechanism includes a first separation member and a second closing member in said first slider, said first slider mounted on said closure to allow movement of said first slider relative to and transversely of said closure to engage one of said first separation member and said second closing member and open or close said closure.  
     
     
         20 . A method of opening and closing a closure for a plastic bag using a slider comprising: 
 providing a closure having first and second interconnecting profiles;    providing a first slider on said closure, said first slider including a finger actuated portion;    actuating said finger actuated portion; and    sliding said first slider on said closure to open said closure.    
     
     
         21 . The method of opening and closing a closure for a plastic bag claimed in  claim 20  wherein said closure includes a notch and said finger actuated portion includes a lever pivotally mounted on said first slider, said lever including a latch portion positioned in said notch, wherein actuating said finger actuated portion comprises pivoting said lever to lift said latch portion out of said notch.  
     
     
         22 . The method of opening and closing a closure for a plastic bag claimed in  claim 20  wherein said finger actuated portion includes a lever pivotally mounted on said first slider, said lever includes a separation member located between said profiles, wherein actuating said finger actuated portion comprises actuating said lever to position said separation member between said interconnecting profiles.  
     
     
         23 . The method of opening and closing a closure for a plastic bag claimed in  claim 20  wherein said closure includes a knurled portion, said finger actuated portion including a lever pivotally mounted on said first slider with a portion of said lever engaging said knurled portion, wherein actuating said finger actuated portion comprises pivoting said lever to lift said portion of said lever out of engagement with said knurled portion.  
     
     
         24 . The method of opening and closing a closure for a plastic bag claimed in  claim 20  wherein said finger actuated portion includes a hook, further comprising: 
 providing a second slider on said closure, said second slider includes a portion for coupling to said hook to releasably couple said first slider to said second slider;  
 actuating said finger actuated portion to uncouple said first and second sliders; and  
 sliding said first slider along said closure.  
 
     
     
         25 . The method of opening and closing a closure for a plastic bag claimed in  claim 20  wherein said finger actuated portion includes an opening in said first slider, comprising: 
 providing a post on said closure,  
 locking said first slider on said closure by placing said opening on said post;  
 actuating said finger actuated portion to lift said opening off said post; and  
 sliding said first slider on said closure.  
 
     
     
         26 . The method of opening and closing a closure for a plastic bag claimed in  claim 20  wherein said finger actuated portion includes pivotally mounted sides on said first slider, comprising: 
 actuating said finger actuated portion by compressing said pivotally mounted sides of said slider to engage said closure and disconnect said interconnecting profiles; and  
 sliding said slider along said closure.  
 
     
     
         27 . The method of opening and closing a closure for a plastic bag claimed in  claim 20 , wherein said first slider includes a first separation member and a second closing member, comprising: 
 moving said first slider transversely to said closure to engage one of said first separation member and said second closing member with said closure; and    sliding said first slider along said closure.