Bag Sealing Devices and Methods

Abstract

A bag sealing device is designed to seal off an already-opened bag, such as a bag of chips. The device has a sheath and a rod. A slit is disposed along an axial direction of the sheath, and the rod is coupled to the sheath and disposed within it. A bag is folded over and inserted into the device such that it enters and exits the device at the slit and is wrapped around the rod. A reaction force from the rod and a reaction force from the sheath combine to cause the bag to be substantially pneumatically sealed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A bag sealing device comprising:
 a rod having a body and a longitudinal axis;   a sheath disposed about at least a portion of the rod, and having a slit that widens into an opening; and   the rod further comprising a bulbous portion extending axially from the body.   
     
     
         2 . The bag sealing device of  claim 1 , wherein the rod has a circular cross-section. 
     
     
         3 . The bag sealing device of  claim 1 , wherein the rod has a triangular cross-section. 
     
     
         4 . The bag sealing device of  claim 1 , wherein the rod has a polygonal cross-section. 
     
     
         5 . The bag sealing device of  claim 1 , wherein the sheath has a circular cross-section. 
     
     
         6 . The bag sealing device of  claim 1 , wherein the sheath has a triangular cross-section. 
     
     
         7 . The bag sealing device of  claim 1 , wherein the sheath has a polygonal cross-section. 
     
     
         8 . The bag sealing device of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the sheath extends radially from the rod at the bag insertion end. 
     
     
         9 . The bag sealing device of  claim 1 , wherein the rod is longer than the sheath.