Bag tying apparatus and method of delivering promotional material using a bag tie

Abstract

A bag tying apparatus and method for easy dispensing and packing. The bag tying apparatus comprises a base with a pair of horizontal parallel bag support arms having free outer ends cantilevered from a pair of vertical supports. The bag tying apparatus further comprises a pivotable bag tie support and loading arm with a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the loading arm is attached with the first vertical rod by a supporting means, a second end of the loading arm having a terminal end having a cut-out therein to retain a handle of a bag, and a plurality of stacked bag ties positioned coaxially. The terminal end having a cut-out therein of the bag tie support and loading arm is configured to receive the handle portion of the bags and permit the bag tie to be manually moved down over the terminal end having a cut-out therein and handle portion so as to close and fasten the open top ends of the bag. The bag ties have promotional material printed thereon. The invention also provides a computerized method for the measurement of the effectiveness of the usage of the bag tie as promotional material.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A bag tying apparatus, comprising:
 a base with a pair of horizontal parallel bag supports having free outer ends cantilevered from a pair of vertical supports extending upwardly from the base, wherein the pair of horizontal parallel supports are configured for receiving the handles of a plurality of stacked bags; and   a bag tie support and loading arm having a first end attached to the first vertical support by a supporting means, a second end of the bag tie support and loading arm having terminal end having a cut-out therein and a plurality of stacked bag ties positioned coaxially.   
     
     
         2 . The bag tying apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the terminal end having a cut-out therein of the bag tie support and loading arm:
 supports a handle portion of the bag; and   permits the bag tie to be manually moved down along the bag ties support and loading arm and over the terminal end having a cut therein so as to close and fasten the open top ends of the bag.   
     
     
         3 . The bag tying apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the base includes a stationary base. 
     
     
         4 . The bag tying apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the bag tie support and loading arm is pivotably attached such that it can pivot so as to be disposed either over the bag or not over the bag. 
     
     
         5 . The bag tying apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the bag tie comprises one or more regions. 
     
     
         6 . The bag tying apparatus as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein least one of the regions of the bag tie defines an aperture for allowing the open top ends of the bag to pass over the bag tie. 
     
     
         7 . The bag tying apparatus as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the region other than aperture comprises printed promotional information 
     
     
         8 . The bag tying apparatus as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the printed promotional information is an advertisement or a discount offer. 
     
     
         9 . The bag tying apparatus as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the bag tie comprises a bar code so as to allow the user to use the barcode for availing some percentage of discount for a particular product. 
     
     
         10 . The bag tying apparatus as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the customer scans the bar code of the bag tie using a mobile phone so as to cause the mobile phone to connect to a website. 
     
     
         11 . The bag tying apparatus as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the required website delivers a promotional message to the customer on receiving the scanned bar code. 
     
     
         12 . The bag tying apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the shape of the bag tie is triangle, rectangle, polygonal, hexagonal, circular, cylindrical, or a polygonal, or the shape of a recognizable object. 
     
     
         13 . The bag tying apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the bag tie is made up of approximately 40% recycled paper. 
     
     
         14 . The bag tying apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the bag tie has multiple layers so as to connect the bag tie to the bag firmly. 
     
     
         15 . The bag tie as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the multiple layers provide more surface for printing more promotional information instead of a single layer. 
     
     
         16 . The bag tie as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the system records identifying information regarding the identity of the customer and the customer's purchases at the time the customer receives the bag tie, and also when the customer uses the bag tie for its promotional material, so as measure of the effectiveness of the bag tie as a promotional material. 
     
     
         17 . A method for delivering business promotions to a prospective customer comprising the steps of:
 providing a bag tie with one of the region of the bag tie defining an aperture for allowing the open top ends of the bag to pass over the bag tie;   having promotional information printed in the region other than the region defining the aperture;   receiving the handle portion of the bag; and   permitting the bag tie to be manually moved over the handle portion of the bag so as to close and fasten the open top ends of the bag, while the bag tie is in the view of the said prospective customer.   The method as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the method further comprises the steps of permitting the prospective customer in a subsequent operation to remove the bag tie from the bag whenever required.   The method as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the promotional information comprises advertisement and other discount offers for the prospective customers.