Guided clamps for quick easy opening and closing of dispenser outlet

Abstract

This invention relates to a novel device for small, extremely flexible thin film plastic bags having short flat dispenser outlets, thereby making it possible to easily grasp and squeeze it open while shearing off a tack-welded sealed outlet, and when up-ended, can, for some easy-flow products, regulate its flow; all done using only one hand; said device may be inserted within, and bonded therein to the thin film chamber walls of plastic bags having conventional simple reclosable outlets; or incorporated during the original fabrication of the thin film plastic bag, particularly those having “Zip-Loc” or equal interlocking closure joints, with the usual alignment problems; said simple device consists of a pair of nested flexible and resilient plastic curved quadrant clamps with novel guide mouth attachments which makes it possible to squeeze the thin gauge film chamber walls manually for opening and for dispensing when up-ended, which upon release of the squeeze effort, automatically self closes to form a dust tight seal; said nested clamps may be tack-welded at its outlet for protection against pilfering of contents which, upon the initial squeeze-to-open operation by the customer shears for dispensing; novel improvements for making the curved clamps more than dust tight are offered, along with closure outlets that do not require scissor cutting or so-called easy tear sealed closures.

1 . A prefabricated standard flexible thin film plastic bag having a bag outlet  6  inches or under in length, improved upon for quick easy dispensing, by inserting within said flexible thin film plastic bag, through its outlet opening an assembly, made of low density polyethylene or equal, consisting of occluded male and female curved quadrant clamps, with adjoining stubby guide mouth attachments, running fall length of the clamps, spaced apart at an appropriate angle, which when compressed towards one-another decreases its angle and forms an elliptical shaped bulge within the chamber walls at the throat portion of the plastic bag upon its insertion within said plastic bag, but only after the opposing ends of the longitudinal male and female clamps and adjoining stubby guide mouths have been bonded together, prior to insertion within said standard flexible plastic bag; said, curved quadrant assembly is arranged to have a snug tight fit with the chamber walls of the flexible plastic bag, to maintain contact with the stubby guide mouth elements for applying the squeeze effort required for dispensing, plus making it possible to fusion weld the outer chamber walls full length, on both sides of the bag outlet, adjacent to the curved portion of the quadrant clamps to prevent misalignment of clamp jaws.  
     
     
         2 . A prefabricated standard flexible thin film plastic bag as in  claim 1  whereby said plastic bag has a conventional single track closure which offers extra sealing protection to the inserted normally dust tight curved quadrant clamps dispenser outlet.  
     
     
         3 . A prefabricated standard flexible thin film plastic bag as in  claim 1  whereby said plastic bag has a conventional single track closure with standard elongated outlet, may be tack-welded at the mid-point of its outlet lips, capable of being severed by the customer, upon the initial squeeze-to-open dispenser operation.  
     
     
         4 . A prefabricated standard flexible thin film plastic bag as in  claim 1  whereby said prefabicated bag is cut for inserting occluded male and female curved quadrant clamps and adjoining stubby guide mouth attachments after which said cut is resealed.  
     
     
         5 . A prefabricated standard flexible thin film plastic bag as in  claim 1  whereby said plastic bag is made anew for a snug fit over the contour of the occluded male and female curved quadrant clamps and adjoining stubby guide mouth attachments  
     
     
         6 . A prefabricated standard flexible thin film plastic bag as in  claim 1  whereby only the stubby guide mouth assembly, made from low density polyethylene or equal, is added to said standard plastic bag  
     
     
         7 . A flexible thin film plastic bag made using the profile extrusion process for integrating this invention's curved quadrant clamps with adjoining stubby guide mouth attachments therewith, made from low density polyethylene or equal, to form the flexible thin film plastic bag's dispenser outlet.  
     
     
         8 . A thin film plastic bag as in  claim 5  wherein a tack-weld is added at the mid-point of the closure's occluded elongated outlet lips capable of being severed by the customer upon the initial squeeze to open dispenser operation.  
     
     
         9 . A small hand held reclosable flexible thin film plastic bag, made from low density polyethylene or equall, having a “Zip-Loc” or equal interlocking closure, having bag outlet 6 inches or under in length, capable of being manually squeezed at its opposing outlet ends, while holding said bag with the same hand; said squeezing opens the closure, but only when stubby guide attachments are added to the flexible thin film chamber walls at the outlet neck portion of the plastic bag; when upon release of the squeeze effort the closure automatically self closes; said stubby guide attachments being made stiff enough to withstand the squeeze effort required to open the occluded closure, and made part of the “Zip-Loc” or equal male and female interlocking closure elements when originally extruded, said guides being stubby attachments to the male and female “Zip-Loc” or equal interlocking closure elements running full length of the bag outlet, each spaced at an appropriate angle, apart from each other sufficiently to, when compressed towards one another forms an elliptical shaped bulge within the chamber walls at the throat portion of the plastic bag lengthwise of the closure, said compression required to bond the edges of the superimposed plastic sheets to form the plastic bag assembly, which when grasped lengthwise and manually squeezed at the guide attachments, guides the mouth of the nested closure elements to open, and upon release of the squeeze effort automatically occludes, all due to the addition of the stubby guide mouth attachments at the throat portion of the thin flexible plastic bag chamber walls, and the inherent resilience and plastic memory of the thermoplastic used, such as low density polyethylene.  
     
     
         10 . A reclosable flexible thin film plastic bag according to claims  1 ,  5  and  7  wherein said reclosable flexible thin film plastic bag length is longer than 6 inches, said 6 inch and under reclosable outlet can be fastened by cater-cornering or at any other suitable location for fastening to a larger than  6  inch long plastic bag.  
     
     
         11 . A reclosable flexible thin film plastic bag according to  claim 7 , wherein a tack-weld is added at the mid-point of the closure's occluded outlet lips capable of being severed by the customer upon the initial squeeze to open dispenser operation.  
     
     
         12 . A reclosable plastic joint such as “Zip-Loc” or equal having male and female interlocking elements may when initially extruded include stubby guide mouth attachments.  
     
     
         13 . The normally dust tight resilient reclosable curved quadrant clamps, made from low density polyethylene or equal may be provided with a tighter seal, by the addition of interlocking elements to the male convex and female concave portions of the curved clamps, consisting of a knobby shaped male element extending above full length of its mating male curved quadrant clamp, and nested within its keyhole shaped female counterpart imbedded within the concave portion of the female curved quadrant clamp when in its occluded position.  
     
     
         14 . The normally dust tight resilient reclosable curved quadrant clamps, made from low density polyethylene or equal, may be provided with a tighter seal, by using the profile extrusion process for making serrated notches running full length on each of the male and female elongated curved quadrant clamps, each with saw like teeth extruded as “V” shaped intermeshing teeth approx. {fraction (1/64)} inch projections atop the thickness of the curved quadrant clamp's nested concave and convex surfaces, equally spaced and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongated quadrant shaped curved clamps to form a resilient intermeshing of teeth when nested in its occluded position.  
     
     
         15 . The arc length of the curved quadrant clamps, made from low density polyethylene or equal, may be shortened and rib reinforced at its slotted discharge outlet.  
     
     
         16 . Any suitable means for making this invention's apparatuses, other than the profile extrusion process, may be used.  
     
     
         17 . Plastic bags may be made of plastic material other than low density polyethylene, as long as it is resilient, flexible and capable of being welded or bonded to low density polyethylene.  
     
     
         18 . Thin film flexible plastic bags may be reinforced by the addition of stiffeners and gussets for making said bag capable of standing.