Snack food bag sealing apparatus and method of using same

Abstract

The specification and drawings describe and show one embodiment of the present invention in the form of a food bag quick-seal apparatus comprising an elongate rod-shaped member; an elongate C-shaped clamp member for receiving the elongate rod-shaped member; and the C-shaped clamp member further having handle means for facilitating the engagement of the rod-shaped member into the C-shaped clamp member.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A food bag quick-seal apparatus comprising: 
 an elongate rod-shaped member;    an elongate C-shaped clamp member for receiving the elongate rod-shaped member; and    the C-shaped clamp member further having handle means for facilitating the engagement of the rod-shaped member into the C-shaped clamp member.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the handle means comprises: 
 an elongate planar member integrally formed with the C-shaped clamp member such that the elongate planar member is generally tangential to the elongate C-shaped clamp member.    
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the elongate C-shaped clamp member is made of materials selected from the group consisting of polymeric materials, plastic materials and metal materials.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the elongate rod member is made of materials selected from the group consisting of polymeric materials, plastic materials and metal materials.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the elongate C-shaped clamp member and the elongate rod member are made of predetermined lengths so as to seal bags of different widths.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the predetermined length of each of the elongate C-shaped clamp member and the elongate rod member are suitable for sealing at least a total width of said bag.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein a surface of the elongate planar member includes one of a textual indicia, a graphic indicia and a combination thereof at predetermined designated locations.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the one of the textual indicia, the graphic indicia and the combination thereof is one of embossed indicia, a decal having such indicia adhesively applied to the surface, a label having such indicia adhesively applied to the surface and a combination thereof.  
     
     
         9 . A method for maintaining the freshness of food items in an opened bag comprising: 
 providing a food bag quick-seal apparatus comprising: 
 an elongate rod-shaped member;  
 an elongate C-shaped clamp member for receiving the elongate rod-shaped member; and  
 the C-shaped clamp member further having handle means for facilitating the engagement of the rod-shaped member into the C-shaped clamp member;  
   placing a side of a bag to be sealed, where the bag has been generally flattened in an area to be sealed, against and along an open portion of the C-shaped clamp member; and    aligning the elongate rod member with the open portion of the elongate C-shaped clamp member and snapping said elongate rod member into the elongate C-shaped clamp member with the bag in between, thereby completely sealing said bag along a total width of said bag.    
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the handle means comprises: 
 an elongate planar member integrally formed with the C-shaped clamp member such that the elongate planar member is generally tangential to the elongate C-shaped clamp member.    
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the elongate C-shaped clamp member is made of materials selected from the group consisting of polymeric materials, plastic materials and metal materials.  
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the elongate rod member is made of materials selected from the group consisting of polymeric materials, plastic materials and metal materials.  
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the elongate C-shaped clamp member and the elongate rod member are made of predetermined lengths so as to seal bags of different widths.  
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the predetermined length of each of the elongate C-shaped clamp member and the elongate rod member are suitable for sealing at least a total width of said bag.  
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein a surface of the elongate planar member includes one of a textual indicia, a graphic indicia and a combination thereof at predetermined designated locations.  
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the one of the textual indicia, the graphic indicia and the combination thereof is one of embossed indicia, a decal having such indicia adhesively applied to the surface, a label having such indicia adhesively applied to the surface and a combination thereof.