US20110052101A1

US20110052101A1 - Apparatus for hanging a resealable bag

Info

Publication number: US20110052101A1
Application number: US12/495,777
Authority: US
Inventors: Michael Herbert Paulse
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-06-30
Filing date: 2009-06-30
Publication date: 2011-03-03

Abstract

A package adapted to be supported by a rod at any available location along the rod without requiring the removal of other packages supported on the rod. The package may comprise a resealable storage bag which cooperates with a hanger capable of being readily attached to the storage bag. When the package is assembled, the storage bag is suspended from the hanger and the head of the hanger projects upwardly above a top edge of the storage bag. The upper end of the head has an opening adapted to engage the rod in hooking fashion. The hanger also has a handle that extends laterally from the head that may be used to carry the said package.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present U.S. patent application claims priority from earlier filed U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61-133342 filed Jun. 30, 2008 and entitled “Adapter Hanger for Resealable Storage Bag” which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to storage or packaging systems using resealable bags and, more particularly, to improved apparatus and methods for supporting such bags on a support rod of a storage or display rack, without having to first remove other bags from the support rod.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many different kinds of plastic storage bags are presently available for storing all kinds of goods to protect the goods from deterioration or contamination, or just as a means of packaging various types of products. Among the more useful of plastic bags for storing goods are those that are equipped with resealable closures, which enable secure closure and re-use of the bag. An example of a typical resealable storage bag is illustrated in FIG. 2B. The bag is sealed by moving the slider in one direction and unsealed by moving the slider in the opposite direction. Another example of a typical resealable storage bag is illustrated in FIG. 2A. The bag is sealed by moving a finger and thumb to interlock two closure profiles and unsealed by pulling apart the sidewalls of the bag to separate the closure profiles.
One disadvantage of the conventional resealable storage bag is that there is no convenient way to hang the bag, along with other similar bags, in an organized fashion. U.S. Pat. No. 5,908,245 issued to Bost, et al., discloses a resealable bag having a centrally-positioned tab attached to the upper part of the bag with a hole provided through the tab for hanging the bag on an open ended rod. Published U.S. patent application Ser. No. US2003/0210836 issued to Strand, discloses a resealable bag with a tab extension from the slider that includes a hole in the tab, also for hanging the bag on an open ended rod. The requirement for an open ended rod is a disadvantage because a bag having a hole as the only means for hanging the bag requires the removal of other bags that may be hung on the same support rod in order to access the bag of interest. Removal of several or many such storage bags, particularly if they must be removed and replaced in a specific sequential order, is laborious and time-consuming. Moreover, a rod supported only at one end cannot support as much weight as a rod supported at both ends.
Other solutions in the prior art include U.S. Pat. No. 4,000,768 issued to Siegel and U.S. Pat. No. 3,462,068 issued to Suominen, both of which provide a centrally located hook fixed to the upper part of the resealable bag. These solutions provide a hook for hanging on a rod supported at both ends, an improvement over bags that lack such a hook.
Another solution in the prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 7,004,629 to Strader et al. that modifies the closure slider of a resealable bag to provide a support hook. This solution provides a hook that may be attached only to bags containing items needing hanging, an improvement over bags with fixed hooks. However, the fact that the bag with the modified slider needs to be unsealed to hang level with a balanced load reduces the benefit of using a resealable bag.
There remains a need for cost effective and practical ways to store items.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly there is disclosed a hanger for supporting individual resealable storage bags on a support rod. A resealable storage bag may be constructed or modified to facilitate attachment to a support hanger configured to be attached to the bag. When attached to the bag, the support hanger may extend upward from an upper portion of the storage bag. The support bag may be dimensioned to receive the support rod. The resealable bag modified with the hanger may be hooked over the support rod at any available location along the support rod without requiring the removal of other storage bags supported on the support rod, and be rotated on the support rod to show the front or back faces of the resealable bag and hanger. In an alternate embodiment, the hanger is attached to a resealable bag having preformed attachment apertures.
Further aspects of the invention and feature of example embodiments are described below and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in a construction hereinafter set forth.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front facing orthogonal view illustrating a resealable storage bag cooperating with a hanger according to one illustrative embodiment of the present invention having a support hook adapted for hanging the storage bag on a support rod, which may be supported at both of its ends, without having to remove any other storage bag from the rod;

FIG. 1B illustrates a front facing orthogonal view of a template hanger, one aspect of the present invention, and a bag shown in phantom as though it were attached;

FIG. 1C illustrates a front facing orthogonal view of an alternative embodiment the template hanger shown in FIG. 1B supported on a rod, and a bag attached to the hanger;

FIG. 1D illustrates a front facing orthogonal view of an alternative embodiment the template hanger shown in FIG. 1B, and a bag shown in phantom as though it were attached;

FIG. 1E illustrates a partially cut away front facing orthogonal view of the resealable storage bag shown in FIG. 2C attached to the tabbed hanger shown in FIG. 4A;

FIG. 2A illustrates a front facing orthogonal view of a thin film resealable storage bag, having two cooperating closure strips at its upper end, for use with one illustrative embodiment of the hanger of the present invention. (The front facing sidewall 11 is shown transparent.);

FIG. 2B illustrates a front facing orthogonal view of an alternative format of a thin film resealable storage bag, having a slider that cooperates with two closure strips at its upper end, for use with one illustrative embodiment of the hanger of the present invention;

FIG. 2C illustrates a front facing orthogonal view of the thin film resealable storage bag shown in FIG. 2A having an additional two apertures oppositely spaced from the vertical center of the storage bag, for use with one alternative embodiment of the hanger of the present invention. (The front facing sidewall 11 is shown transparent.);

FIG. 2D illustrates a planar front view of a resealable storage bag that includes features common to the resealable storage bag shown in FIG. 2A and the resealable storage bag shown in FIG. 2B;

FIG. 3A illustrates a planar front view of the resealable storage bag shown in FIG. 2A;

FIG. 3B illustrates a planar front view of the resealable storage bag shown in FIG. 2B;

FIG. 3C illustrates a planar front view of resealable storage bag shown in FIG. 2C;

FIG. 3D illustrates a planar front view of the resealable storage bag shown in FIG. 3A having an additional circular aperture horizontally centered at its upper end;

FIG. 3E illustrates a planar front view of the resealable storage bag shown in FIG. 3A having an additional rounded-corner rectangular aperture horizontally centered at its upper end;

FIG. 3F illustrates a planar front view of the resealable storage bag shown in FIG. 3E having additional apertures at its upper end;

FIG. 4A illustrates a front facing orthogonal view of the tabbed hanger, an alternative embodiment of the hanger according to one illustrative embodiment of the present invention, for use with the storage bag shown in FIG. 3C;

FIG. 4B illustrates a front facing orthogonal view of the articulated hanger, an alternative embodiment of the hanger according to one illustrative embodiment of the present invention, partially attached to the storage bag shown in FIG. 3B;

FIG. 4C illustrates a planar front view of the tabbed hanger shown in FIG. 4A;

FIG. 4D illustrates a front facing orthogonal view of the one-tab hanger, an alternative embodiment of the hanger according to one illustrative embodiment of the present invention for use with the storage bag shown in FIG. 3D;

FIG. 4E illustrates a back facing orthogonal view of the pinned hanger, an alternative embodiment of the hanger according to one illustrative embodiment of the present invention for use with the storage bag shown in FIG. 3E;

FIG. 4F illustrates a front facing orthogonal view of the arrowhead hanger, an alternative embodiment of the hanger according to one illustrative embodiment of the present invention for use with the storage bag shown in FIG. 3A;

FIG. 4G illustrates a back facing orthogonal view of the clasp hanger, an alternative embodiment of the hanger according to one illustrative embodiment of the present invention, for use with the storage bag shown in FIG. 3A, shown open;

FIG. 4H illustrates a back facing orthogonal view of the clasp hanger shown in FIG. 4G, shown closed;

FIG. 4I illustrates a back facing orthogonal view of the 3-tab hanger, an alternative embodiment of the hanger according to one illustrative embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4J illustrates a back facing orthogonal view of the arrowhead-tab hanger, an alternative embodiment of the hanger according to one illustrative embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 illustrates a partially cut away front facing orthogonal view of the resealable storage bag shown in FIG. 2C attached to the tabbed hanger shown in FIG. 4A hanging from a support rod;

FIG. 6 illustrates a front facing orthogonal view of the resealable storage bag shown in FIG. 2C being attached to the tabbed hanger shown in FIG. 4A;

FIG. 7A illustrates a planar front view of the template hanger that embodies aspects common to alternative embodiments of the hanger of the present invention;

FIG. 7B illustrates a front facing orthogonal view of the template hanger disposed as it may be when attached to a storage bag (not shown) and supported on a support rod;

FIG. 7C illustrates a planar front view of the articulated hanger shown in FIG. 4B;

FIG. 8 illustrates a partially cut away front facing orthogonal view of the resealable storage bag shown in FIG. 3A being attached to the arrowhead hanger shown in FIG. 4F;

FIG. 9 illustrates a back facing orthogonal view of the resealable storage bag shown in FIG. 3E being attached to the pinned hanger shown in FIG. 4E;

FIG. 10 illustrates a partially cut away front facing orthogonal view of the resealable storage bag shown in FIG. 3D attached to the one-tab hanger shown in FIG. 4D;

FIG. 11 illustrates a front facing orthogonal view of an the template hanger shown in FIG. 7A disposed on a support rod at limiting angular orientation M and at limiting angular orientation N and the arc between the two orientations;

FIG. 12 illustrates a front facing orthogonal view of a hinged-hanger, one of the two main parts of the articulated hanger shown in FIG. 4B, and the living hinge that connects the hinged-hanger to the second main part;

FIG. 13 illustrates a front facing orthogonal view of the articulated hanger shown in FIG. 4B disposed open;

FIG. 14 illustrates an orthogonal view of the distal end of the rotating arm of the hanger shown in FIG. 4B;

FIG. 15 illustrates a front facing orthogonal view of the articulated hanger shown in FIG. 4B disposed closed and with rotating flaps disposed closed;

FIG. 16 illustrates a back facing orthogonal view of the articulated hanger shown in FIG. 4B disposed closed with rotating flaps disposed open;

FIG. 17 illustrates a planar back view of the articulated hanger shown in FIG. 4B disposed closed with hinged flaps disposed substantially equally open;

FIG. 18 illustrates a front facing orthogonal view of the resealable storage bag shown in FIG. 3B attached to the hanger shown in FIG. 4B and open to expose the interior of the bag;

FIG. 19 illustrates a planar back view of the clasp hanger shown in FIG. 4G disposed closed;

FIG. 20 illustrates a front facing orthogonal view of a hanger disposed obliquely on a support rod spaced from a rear wall a distance less than half of the width of the hanger's attached resealable storage bag;

FIG. 21 illustrates a back facing orthogonal view of the resealable storage bag shown in FIG. 3A being attached to the clasp hanger shown in FIG. 4G;

FIG. 22 illustrates a front facing orthogonal view of the resealable storage bag shown in FIG. 3A attached to the clasp hanger shown in FIG. 4G and open to expose its interior;

FIG. 23 illustrates a front facing orthogonal view of the resealable storage bag shown in FIG. 2C attached to the hanger shown in FIG. 4A and open to expose its interior;

FIG. 24 illustrates a back facing orthogonal view of the resealable storage bag shown in FIG. 2A attached to the zip hanger (The back facing sidewall 12 is shown transparent.);

FIG. 25 illustrates a front facing orthogonal view of the preferred embodiment of a support rod assembled, for use with a pegboard or slatwall;

FIG. 26 illustrates a front facing orthogonal view of the preferred embodiment of a support rod exploded, for use with a pegboard or slatwall;

FIG. 27 illustrates a front facing orthogonal view of an alternative embodiment of the articulated hanger shown in FIG. 4B formed as one piece.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to resealable storage bags suitable for being supported by hangers which hold the storage bag and its contents on a supporting rod. The supporting rod may be round in cross-section such as found in a display rack typically but not exclusively within a retail setting, in closets as a rod from which clothing hangers are supported, as the larger transverse wire of wire shelving, and as a hook of a pegboard storage system. The rod may have other shapes in alternative embodiments. Another aspect of the invention relates to a thin film plastic storage bag having a closure fastening device including two closure profiles operable for being interlocked continuously over a predetermined length.
Generally, storage bags having closure devices are well known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 4,363,345 to Scheibner is an example of the type of storage bag which can be used with the present invention, and the disclosure of this patent is incorporated herein by reference. U.S. Pat. No. 5,020,194 to Herrington et al. is another example of the type of storage bag which can be used with the present invention, and the disclosure of this patent is incorporated herein by reference.
In carrying the invention into effect, several embodiments have been selected for illustration in the accompanying drawings and for description in this specification, reference being had to FIGS. 1, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E, 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 3E, 3F, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, 4E, 4F, 4G, 4H, 4I, 4J, 5, 6, 7A, 7B, 7C, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, and 27.
Referring to FIG. 1B, there is shown a template hanger 25 that schematically illustrates one aspect of the present invention. The template hanger 25 includes a mechanism (not shown) for attachment to a storage bag. The specifics of attachment varies from bag to bag depending on the features of the given bag. The specifics of attachment are embodied as specific attachment assemblies disposed at attachment sites. The specific attachment assemblies in combination with any or all of the features of the template hanger 25 may define some of the various embodiments of the present invention including the preferred embodiment and the alternative embodiments disclosed below. Any hanger in the set of embodiments of the present invention is defined as a valid hanger. The template hanger 25 has many aspects of a hanger of the present invention that may be included in the various embodiments that realize a valid hanger.
Referring to FIG. 2C, a resealable bag is shown generally at 8C. The resealable bag 8C has a header 114 above a closure device 16 and a vertical center line C10. The storage bag 8C may have attachment apertures 19, 22 disposed in the header 114, and have sides 14, 15.
Referring to FIG. 2B, another type of a resealable bag is shown generally at 508. The resealable bag 508 has a closure device 516 and a closure slider 615 at the top edges 519, 520, and a vertical centerline C510 (see FIG. 3B). The bag 508 may have attachment apertures 19A, 22A disposed below the closure device 516 and near the side edges 514, 515 of the bag.
Variations of the resealable bag 508 and the resealable bag 8 attach to valid hangers of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 2D, shown generally at 88 is a resealable bag representing the common features of both the storage bag 8 and the bag 508 that relate to the features of the template hanger 25. The resealable bag 88 has a closure device 16A (not shown), a vertical center-line C710, a front face, a back face, sides 814, 815 and attachment apertures 19B, 22B (not shown). Closure devices and attachment apertures are defined for the storage bag 8 and the bag 508 but at different locations, so that while present on bag 88 closure devices and attachment apertures are not shown.
Referring to FIG. 1B, the template hanger 25 includes a hanger body 26A having a hook 23A and attachment sites 85, 87, and a holding section 72. The attachment sites 85, 87 approximately locate where any two specific attachment assemblies of a valid hanger may be disposed. Generic references to two attachment assemblies from the set of possible specific attachment assemblies are given as attachment assembly 85A, and as attachment assembly 87A. The hanger body 26A may attach with attachment assemblies 85A, 87A (not shown) disposed at the attachment sites 85, 87 to the suspended resealable bag 88 (shown in phantom).
A valid hanger may have two or more attachment sites locating two or more attachment assemblies.
Referring to FIG. 1C, the hook 23A allows the suspended resealable bag 88 to be hung from a support rod 7 or bracket or mounted hook. The support rod 7 may have a substantially circular cross-section, and a center-line C7. The template hanger 25 allows the storage bag 88 to be installed on or removed from the support rod 7 without sequential installation or removal of other bags supported on the rod. The hook 23A is configured to allow the template hanger 25 to hang from the support rod 7 at a load-contact point P32 defined on the template hanger 25. When an evenly distributed moderate load is supported in the storage bag 88 attached to the template hanger 25 hanging from the support rod 7 a vertical load axis A32 is defined to pass through the load-contact point P32. The template hanger 25 suspending the storage bag 88 with a load may be rotated on the support rod 7 to travel roughly about the load axis A32 to expose the bag's 88 front face or back face. The angle of rotation relative to the center-line C7 of the support rod 7 is between 30 degrees and 150 degrees.
Referring to FIG. 1D, the holding section 72 is disposed horizontally from the hook 23A. The holding section 72 has a minimum length and width to receive a person's hand comfortably and conveniently in gripping or holding fashion to facilitate carrying the suspended bag 88. The holding section 72 may be textured with bumps 76 (see FIG. 1B) to improve grip friction. The holding section 72 may include a handle aperture 75 to improve holding by a hand. The holding section 72 may extend horizontally beyond the side edge 15 of the suspended bag 88.
Referring to FIG. 1D, the template hanger 25 may include a label section 77. The label section 77 may allow an identifier or a label having an identifier to be received for display. The label section 77 may be disposed horizontally from the handle, may extend vertically below the bottom 427 of the holding section 72 and may extend below the top 88A of the suspended bag 88. Vertical extension allows any displayed identifiers to be positioned apart from the holding section 72 to be kept clean of hand oils and dirt.
Referring to FIG. 1B, the template hanger 25 is sized to attach to a particular horizontal width of bag 88. The first attachment site 85 is vertically collinear or forward of the load-contact point P32. The second attachment site 87 is behind the first attachment site 85 and vertically collinear or rearward of the load-contact point P32. When the template hanger 25 is attached to the storage bag 88 the load-contact point P32 is collinear with the vertical center-line C710 of the storage bag 88.
Referring to FIG. 1B, the attachment assemblies 85A, 87A (not shown) disposed at attachment sites 85, 87 to attach a valid hanger to the suspended resealable bag 88 (see FIG. 2C) may co-operate with one or more attachment apertures 19B, 22B disposed on the storage bag 88. The attachment apertures 19B, 22B may be preformed on the storage bag 88. The attachment apertures 19B, 22B may be formed by the hanger body 26A during the attachment process. Attachment deformations (not shown) may result from attachment apertures incompletely formed by the attachment process.
The attachment apertures 19B, 22B co-operate with the attachment assemblies 85A, 87A to align the load-contact point P32 collinear with the vertical center-line C710 of the attached bag 88. The attachment apertures 19B, 22B may co-operate with the attachment assemblies 85A, 87A by the attachment apertures 19B, 22B being proximate to each other and the vertical center line C710 the same way that the attachment assemblies 85A, 87A are proximate to each other and the vertical load axis A32 of the template hanger 25.
The storage bag 88 has one or more preformed attachment apertures 19B, 22B that may co-operate with the attachment assemblies 85A, 87A of the hanger body 26A to secure the bag to a valid hanger. The co-operation may include the attachment apertures 19B, 22B stretching and/or deforming around the attachment assemblies 85A, 87A. The co-operation may also include the attachment apertures 19B, 22B stretching and/or deforming between the attachment assemblies 85A, 87A. The shape of the attachment assemblies 85A, 87A the distance between the attachment assemblies 85A, 87A relative to the distance between the attachment apertures 19B, 22B, the resilience of the hanger material, and the resilience of the bag material may be used to stretch and/or deform the attachment apertures 19B, 22B around and between the attachment assemblies 85A, 87A.
Valid hangers that have attachment assemblies that insert into preformed attachment apertures 19B, 22B may be formed from resilient materials that help the hanger flex and align with the attachment apertures 19B, 22B.
The storage bag 8 and the bag 508 with or without preformed attachment apertures may be attached to different embodiments of the present invention, and may be detached from same.
Referring to FIG. 4A a tabbed hanger generally shown at 25W is an example valid hanger where the attachment assemblies 85A, 87A are realized as outwardly projecting tabs 34, 35 co-formed with the hanger body 26A. Referring to FIG. 1E, the storage bag 8 has preformed attachment apertures that may receive the projecting tabs 34, 35 of the tabbed hanger 25W.
Referring to FIG. 4F, an arrowhead hanger generally shown at 25T is an example valid hanger where the attachment assemblies 85A, 87A are realized as outwardly facing arrowhead- like tabs 34A, 35A co-formed with the hanger body 26A. The arrowhead- like tabs 34A, 35A have narrow or pointed distal convergent ends 214, 215 and have step shoulders 216, 217 intermediate of the distal ends 214, 215 and the hanger body 26A. Referring to FIG. 8, the storage bag 8 or the bag 508 to be attached to the arrowhead hanger 25T may not have attachment apertures. The storage bag 8 or the bag 508 may be disposed across the arrowhead- like tabs 34A, 35A, pulled onto the tabs and pulled over the shoulders 216, 217 (see FIG. 4F) so that the storage bag 8 or the bag 508 is pierced to form attachment apertures and is suspended from the arrowhead- like tabs 34A, 35A to engage the newly formed attachment apertures.
Referring to FIG. 8, the storage bag 8 having no preformed attachment apertures may have its center-line C10 vertically aligned with the load-contact point P32 of a valid hanger such as the arrowhead hanger 25T with the aid of a registration tab 121. The registration tab 121 may be a tab downwardly projecting from the holding section 72. The furthest extent of the registration tab 121 is disposed from the vertical load axis A32 a distance equal to half the width of the attaching bag 8. The registration tab 121 is inserted into the storage bag 8 and disposed against the side edge 15 of the storage bag 8. The registration tab 121 may be used to hold the storage bag 8 firmly against the hanger while at least one attachment opening is formed and at least one of the attachment assemblies 85A, 87A engaged with the storage bag 88. The bag may be freed from the registration tab 121 to help form other apertures, and to ready the storage bag 8 for use.
Materials for valid hangers that may operate on the storage bag 88 to form attachment apertures 85, 87 may be stiff and hard capable of holding an edge or point and remaining straight under the force of piercing the storage bag 88.
Referring to FIG. 4D, a one-tab hanger generally shown at 25H is an example valid hanger where the attachment assemblies 85A, 87A are realized as a tab 734 and a piercing pin 623 that is confined by pin holder 621 to be parallel with the hanger body 26A and having a center-line axis C626. The piercing pin 623 is moveable in one dimension along the center-line axis C626. Referring to FIG. 3D the bag shown generally as 8D is a bag having a header and one attachment aperture 819. To attach the storage bag 8D to the one-tab hanger 25H the tab 734 is inserted into attachment aperture 819. The piercing pin 623 is withdrawn from pin holder 621 to allow the storage bag 8D to occlude the opening of the pin holder 621 and block the travel path of the piercing pin 623. The piercing pin 623 may be disposed in pin holder to pierce and suspend the storage bag 8D (see FIG. 9 and FIG. 10).
Referring to FIG. 4G, a clasp hanger generally shown at 25 p is an example valid hanger where the attachment assemblies 85A, 87A are realized as a clasp 810A configured with a first part or a skirt 4 and a second part or a rotating skirt 810 coupled together via a living hinge 172 whereby the first and second parts may be folded toward each other. The skirt 4 and the rotating skirt 810 are co-formed with at least one set of locking fasteners having first member 80, and second member 82 thereof disposed on respective first and second inside surfaces 801, 802 (not shown) of the skirt 4 and the rotating skirt 810. The first and second members 80, 82 are configured to snap and lock together when the skirt 4 and the rotating skirt 810 are pressed toward each other. Referring to FIG. 4H, the first and second members 80, 82 of the locking fastener may include first and second pieces of a garment snap fastener or a pawl and ledge combination fastener. The first and second members 80, 82 snap and lock together forcefully so that the storage bag 8 or the bag 508 initially disposed between the first and second members 80, 82 is deformed or pierced and is suspended from between the locked members. (See FIG. 21 and FIG. 22)
It may be that valid hangers having the attachment assemblies 85A, 87A for forming attachment apertures or attachment deformations are used with bags having preformed attachment apertures.
Referring to FIG. 4B, an articulated hanger generally shown at 25D is an example valid hanger. The articulated hanger 25D includes a horizontally rotating-body section 361 configured as part of the hanger body 26A through a coupling together with a fixed-body section 369. Coupling together may be via a living hinge 174 whereby the rotating-body section 361 may be rotated or folded about the living hinge 174 relative to the fixed-body section 369. At least one attachment site and one attachment assembly are disposed on the rotating-body section 361.
The bag 508 may be attached to the rotating-body section 361 and to the fixed-body section 369 using any of the attachment assemblies for forming attachment apertures. The rotating-body section 361 and the fixed-body section 369 may fold towards and away from each other to co-operate with the attached bag 508 while the bag 508 is in use.
Referring to FIG. 4B, the rotating-body section 361 and the fixed-body section 369 may be biased to dispose the attached bag 508 substantially planar. A planar orientation helps the bag 508 to be installed on or removed from the support rod 7. Referring to FIG. 7C, biasing may take the form of the living hinge 174 having center axis C174 being inclined relative to the vertical load axis A32. Referring to FIG. 4B, biasing may take the form of first and second members 184, 182 of an interference fastener co-operating to resist being separated. The first and second members 184, 182 of the interference fastener may include the first and second parts of a garment snap fastener or a pawl and ledge combination fastener. The first and second members 184, 182 may be co-formed with the fixed-body section 369 and rotating-body section 361, respectively. The first and second members 184, 182 are disposed to allow the members to engage and formed to resist being separated to bias the attached bag 508 to be disposed substantially planar.
Referring to FIG. 4C, the hook 23A defines a J-shaped slot 23 having a bowl 23B and a stem 23C where the load-contact point P32 is coincident with the upper most point in the bowl 23B. The stem 23C parallels the pathway to be traveled by the support rod 7 moving towards or away from the load-contact point P32 to hook or unhook the hanger, respectively. The furthest extent of the J-shape hook 23A that helps form the bowl 23B of the J-shaped slot 23 is disposed between the bowl 23B and the stem 23C as burr 287 to increase the aggressiveness of the hook. The J-shaped slot 23 is sized to receive the support rod 7. The bowl 23B is sized to allow the hanger to be rotated on the support rod 7 about the vertical load axis A32 to be able to display the front or the back of the hanger and the suspended bag. It may be that the bowl 23B is substantially oval with its minor axis collinear with the vertical load axis A32. It may be that the J-shape hook 23A is oriented to be upright or reclined. (The reclined orientation is shown in FIG. 4C.)
The continued disclosure below teaches in detail possible constructions of the hanger of the present invention and the resealable bags that attach to them.
FIG. 1 illustrates a plurality of resealable storage bags generally shown at 8, each having a header 114 attached to a hanger 25A that embodies the present invention. The hanger 25A has a head 26 adapted for hanging the storage bag 8 on a support rod 7 which may be supported between two surfaces 240, 241 (not shown), at both of its ends, e.g., at 242 and 243 (shown in phantom), respectively, without having to remove any other storage bag from the rod. Many more storage bags may be supported on a support rod supported at both ends, for a given size support rod and storage bag. Further, any individual bag attached to an hanger according to the present invention may be located anywhere on the support rod and may be removed or installed without having to remove other bags beforehand to gain access to the position for the bag.
FIG. 2A illustrates a front facing orthogonal view of a resealable storage bag generally shown at 8 typical of the bags the present invention adapts for hanging on support rods. The resealable storage bag 8 has sidewalls 11 and 12 which are typically thin, flexible, transparent plastic film which has been folded along bottom edge 13 and heat sealed along vertical side edges 14 and 15 to define a pouch having pouch access 519A. Sidewall 12 includes top edge 312, inside surface 112 disposed opposite sidewall 11, and includes outside surface 113 (not shown). Sidewall 11 includes top edge 314. The storage bag 8 includes a closure device 16 such as described in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 4,363,345. The closure device 16 includes closure profiles 17 and 18 which can be occluded and disengaged with respect to each other for closing and opening the pouch access 519A of the storage bag 8. The sidewall 12 includes header 114 disposed between the closure profile 18 and the top edge 312, and having vertical length dimension L21. The storage bag 8 (Best viewed in FIG. 3A.) has vertical center-line C10, and side edges 14, 15 spaced apart a horizontal length dimension L13. Interior corner 923 (not shown) is disposed interior of the storage bag 8 opposite side edge 15.
FIG. 2B illustrates an alternative embodiment of the resealable storage bag 8 shown in FIG. 2A, generally shown at 508. The storage bag 508 has sidewalls 511 and 512 which are typically thin, flexible, transparent plastic film which has been folded along bottom edge 513 and heat sealed along vertical side edges 514 and 515 to define a pouch. The sidewall 512 includes top edge 520, inside face 522 disposed opposite the sidewall 511, and includes outside face 521 (not shown). The sidewall 511 includes top edge 519, and outside face 555. As best viewed in FIG. 3B, the vertical side edges 514 and 515 are spaced apart length dimension L513. The storage bag 508 has vertical center-line C510.
The storage bag 508 includes a separable closure device 516 such as described in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,020,194. The separable closure device 516 includes at the top edges 519 and 520 extending along the length thereof resealable interlocking rib and groove profile closure profiles 517 and 518, respectively. A closure slider 615 straddles the closure profiles 517, 518 and is adapted for opening or closing the said closure profiles. Referring to FIG. 3B, the bag closure device 516 functions in the manner of a zipper as the closure slider 615 is moved in one direction, towards position 515A to seal the bag, and in the opposite direction, towards position 514A to unseal the bag.
It may be that the storage bag 508 includes apertures 19A, 22A disposed below the closure device 516 and adjacent to the side edges 514, 415, respectively. It may be that the storage bag 508 includes seals 19S, 22S (shown in phantom) that isolates the space near apertures 19A, 22A from the space interior to the storage bag 508. The seals 19S, 22S may be formed by heat sealing parts of the sidewalls 511, 512 of the storage bag 508 together.
FIG. 2C illustrates an alternative embodiment of the resealable storage bag 8 shown in FIG. 2A, generally shown at 8C, having apertures 19, 22 disposed on the header 114. Storage bag 8C may incorporate any or all of the features and attributes of storage bag 8. Referring to FIG. 3C, the horizontal center-lines of the apertures 19, and 22 are coincident and are identified as center-line C12. Horizontal center-line C12 is disposed from the top edge 312 a vertical length dimension L22. The apertures 19 and 22 may be circular through holes or voids having diameter dimension L3 and circumferences coincident with header hole edges 117 and 118, respectively, and having vertical center-lines C19 and C22, respectively.
The apertures 19, and 22 may be formed on the resealable storage bag 8 either during the formation of the storage bag 8C, or subsequent thereto by a suitable cutting or punching operation.
To afford conventional resealable storage bags representative of the storage bag 8 utilized by one embodiment of this invention to be conveniently converted into bags representative of the storage bags 8C utilized by an alternative embodiment of this invention, provision may be given to add apertures representative of the apertures 19 and 22 to the conventional storage bags 8. In the illustrated embodiment best viewed in FIG. 3C, the horizontal spaced separation of the aperture 19 from the aperture 22 is given as horizontal length dimension L5. Commonly available at retail office supply outlets are conventional stationery hole punches (not shown) having two laterally disposed hole punches having diameter dimension L47 and spaced apart a horizontal length dimension L45, or having three re-positionable laterally disposed hole punches having diameter dimension L48 where any two consecutive hole punches may be disposed from each other a horizontal distance equal to the horizontal length dimension L45 of the two hole punch. It is a simple matter for a user using one of the conventional stationery hole punches to convert a conventional resealable storage bag representative of the storage bag 8 into one representative of the storage bag 8C. Within the North American stationery industry, the horizontal length dimension L45 is standardized to be 2.75 inches. Other standards may exist for foreign markets. The horizontal length dimension L5 is equal to the horizontal length dimension L45. The provision to add apertures representative of the apertures 19 and 22 to the conventional storage bags 8 may be given by the horizontal length dimension L5 separating the attachment apertures 19, 22 being equal to the horizontal length dimension L45 separating the punches of standard two hole stationery punches. By virtue of the relationships and engagements among the horizontal length dimension L5 separating the aperture 19 from the aperture 22 and the horizontal length dimension L45 separating the punches of standard two hole stationery punches, convenient conversion of resealable storage bags representative of the storage bag 8 into bags representative of the storage bags 8C may be afforded.
Some embodiments of this invention include a valid hanger, a template to position a one or multi-hole punch, may include a single-hole or a multi-hole punch, and may include a storage bag representative of the storage bag 8. The template may allow a user to hole punch apertures representative of the apertures 19 and 22 to convert a bag representative of the storage bag 8 into bags representative of the storage bag 8C.
FIG. 3D illustrates an alternative embodiment of the resealable storage bag 8 shown in FIG. 3A, generally shown at 8D, wherein aperture 819A having horizontal center-line C812 is disposed horizontally centered on the header 114. Horizontal center-line C812 is disposed from top edge 312 a vertical length dimension L822. Aperture 819A may be a circular through hole having diameter dimension L803, a circumference coincident with header hole edge 817 (not shown). One alternative embodiment of the present invention seeks to attach to the resealable storage bag 8D for hanging on support rods. Storage bag 8D is constructed to incorporate by reference all of the features and attributes of storage bag 8.
FIG. 3E shows an alternative embodiment of the resealable storage bag 8 shown in FIG. 3A, generally shown as resealable storage bag 8E, having aperture 919 having horizontal center-line C912 disposed on the header 114. The horizontal center-line C912 is disposed from top edge 312 a length dimension L922. Aperture 919 may be a rounded-corner rectangular through hole or void having maximum horizontal length dimension L903, vertical length dimension L63, and vertical center-line C919 coincident with storage bag vertical center-line C10. One alternative embodiment of the present invention seeks to attach to resealable storage bag 8E for hanging on support rods.
FIG. 3F shows an alternative embodiment of the resealable storage bag 8E shown in FIG. 3E, generally shown as resealable storage bag 8F, having apertures 919, 919A, and 919B having horizontal center-line C912 disposed on the header 114. The horizontal center-line C912 is disposed from top edge 312 a vertical length dimension L922. Aperture 919 may be a rounded-corner rectangular through hole or void having maximum horizontal length dimension L903, vertical length dimension L63, and vertical center-line C919 coincident with storage bag vertical center-line C10. Apertures 919A, 919B may be through holes or voids having diameter dimension L903A and vertical center lines 919 c, 919 d spaced equally on opposite sides of the vertical center-line C10 a length dimension L904.
One alternative embodiment of the present invention seeks to attach to resealable storage bag 8E for hanging on support rods.
The different embodiments of the resealable storage bag disclosed above attach to alternative embodiments of the hanger of the present invention having specific attachment assemblies. A valid hanger suitably attached to a resealable storage bag that may support a moderate load defines a package 9.
Referring to FIG. 7A, there is illustrated a template hanger shown generally at 25. Template hanger 25 is an example embodiment of features and attributes that may be available to any or all hangers of the present invention. Template hanger 25 includes means for attachment to a bag or other item to be supported. Such means are not illustrated in FIG. 7A. The preferred and the alternative embodiments of the hanger of the present invention include means to attach to a resealable bag and may incorporate any or all of the features and attributes of template hanger 25. The preferred and the alternative embodiments generally differ in their means of attaching to a given embodiment of resealable storage bag to which the hanger is matched, and differ in the additional features required to support the different means of attachment. The preferred and the alternative embodiments are examples of valid hangers of the present invention.
As best viewed in FIG. 7A, the template hanger 25 comprises a thin rectangular member with a head 26 having upper end 913, lower end 914, outer vertical side edge 27, front planar surface 917 having normal axis X917 (not shown), and back planar surface 918 (not shown). Arms 28, 29 extend outwardly in opposite directions from the lower end 914, have equal vertical length dimension L2, and have outer vertical edges 281, 291, respectively, spaced apart a horizontal length dimension L17. It may be that the upper end of arm 29 is merged with the lower end of holding section 72 (as is the case shown in FIG. 7A) which is described below. Together, the arms 28, 29, and the lower end 914 define a skirt 4 having top edge 428.
To removably support a package 9 on the support rod 7 provision may be given to the template hanger 25 to hook on and unhook from the support rod 7. In the illustrated embodiment best viewed in FIG. 7A, the head 26 has an internally formed hook 23A. The hook 23A includes a reclined J-shaped slot 23 disposed with a bowl 23B above a stem 23C having an outwardly tapered mouth 24 opening coincidentally with the side edge 27 of the head 26, and having a terminating end coincident with locating edge 61 of the head 26, and having an upper convex end coincident with downwardly disposed load transmitting concave edge 32 adjacent to locating edge 61. Referring to FIG. 7B, the tapered mouth 24 is designed to facilitate easy guidance onto a support rod 7 of known diameter. The J-shaped slot 23 is designed such that for any supporting rod of known diameter or smaller, the hanging of a storage bag (not shown) and its subsequent removal can be effected by the user. The provision to hook the template hanger 25 on the support rod 7 may be provided by the tapered mouth 24 allowing the support rod 7 to be received into the J-shaped slot 23 up to the locating edge 61 and by having the support rod 7 be able to rest underneath the concave edge 32 to support the template hanger 25, when the template hanger 25 is attached to a storage bag as described below. At rest on support rod 7 the rigidity of the template hanger 25 continues to support the attached storage bag. The provision to unhook the template hanger 25 on the support rod 7 may be provided by the J-shaped slot 23 yielding smooth passage to the support rod 7 from its received rested position underneath the concave edge 32 to the tapered mouth 24. By virtue of the relationships and engagements among the head 26, the support rod 7, the concave edge 32, the J-shaped slot 23 and the rigidity of the head 26, a package 9 may be removably supportable on the support rod 7.
To prevent inadvertent disengagement of a package 9 from the support rod 7, where the hanger is attached to a storage bag provision may be given to limit the motion of the template hanger 25 relative to the support rod 7. In the illustrated embodiment of the template hanger 25 best viewed in FIG. 7B, the head 26 having the J-shaped slot 23 defines burr 287 as the portion of the head 26 that partially separates the bowl 23B from the stem 23C. The burr 287 curves around a part of the lower portion of the support rod 7 when the support rod 7 rests underneath the concave edge 32 to limit the vertical freedom of motion of the support rod 7 relative to the template hanger 25. The burr 287 forces the support rod 7 to move horizontally relative to the concave edge 32 to exit from the template hanger 25 along the specific pathway defined by the J-shaped slot 23. The provision to limit the motion of the template hanger 25 on the support rod 7 may be given by the burr 287 limiting the vertical freedom of motion of the support rod 7 when the support rod 7 supports the template hanger 25 underneath the concave edge 32. By virtue of the relationships and engagements among the J-shaped slot 23, the burr 287 and the support rod 7, a package 9 may be afforded prevention from inadvertent disengagement from the support rod 7.
To afford convenient handling of a package 9 provision may be given to carry the template hanger 25. In the illustrated embodiment best viewed in FIG. 7A the head 26 is integrally formed with outwardly extending holding section 72 disposed laterally from the head 26 above the arms 28 and 29. The holding section 72 has end section 99 and an outer vertical edge 179 that may be disposed generally aligned with the storage bag side edge 15 or beyond when a hanger is attached to a storage bag, as described below. The holding section 72 has bottom edge 427, and has vertical length dimension L12 that is sized to allow a user to conveniently grasp the holding section 72 between fingers and thumb so that the head 26 and the arm 28 are cantilevered from a user's hand when the user grasps the template hanger 25 by the holding section 72. Optionally, the holding section 72 may have a handle aperture 75 (See FIG. 1D) that accepts one or more fingers to improve the user's grasp of the template hanger 25, or the holding section 72 may be textured, for example by depressed dimples, small through voids, or raised bumps 76 (see FIG. 7B), to improve the friction or interference with the grasp of the user. The template hanger 25 has front planar surface 917 having normal axis X917 (see FIG. 7B). The template hanger 25 is of a material and a thickness that makes template hanger 25 rigid about the normal axis X917 when the attached storage bag carries moderate load. The provision to carry the template hanger 25 may be given by the holding section 72 and optionally the handle aperture or void 75 (not shown) or by depressed dimples, small through voids, or raised bumps 76 (see FIG. 7B), the rigidity of the holding section 72 and its vertical length dimension L12. By virtue of the relationships and engagements between the holding section 72, the vertical length dimension L12, the rigidity of the template hanger 25 about the normal axis X917, and optionally the surface texture of the holding section 72 or the handle aperture or void 75, the convenient handling of a package 9 may be afforded.
To afford viewing a given package 9 hung on the support rod 7 in tandem with a series of similar packages 9 that generally occlude each other, provision may be given to the template hanger 25 to be rotatable on the support rod 7. The template hanger 25 is rotatable in a horizontal arc such that an occluding package 9 or a set of occluding packages 9 can be rotated to expose the face of a previously occluded bag and expose the label section 77 of a valid hanger. In the illustrated embodiment of the template hanger 25 best viewed in FIG. 11 (storage bag not shown for clarity), the J-shaped slot 23 is co-formed with the locating edge 61 and the load transmitting concave edge 32 (See FIG. 7A) to cooperatively receive the horizontal support rod 7 obliquely. Support rod 7 may have a cross-section that is substantively circular and has center-line C7 that may be disposed, at an acute angle A2 shown by position M or an obtuse angle A1 shown by position N (shown in phantom), relative to the front planar surface 917 of the template hanger 25. The bowl 23B of the J-shaped slot 23 may be substantively oval-shaped having a minor axis collinear with the vertical load axis A32. When the template hanger 25 is disposed in position M or position N, the support rod 7 may contact and support the concave edge 32 of the template hanger 25 at the load-contact point P32. The template hanger 25 may rotate about the load-contact point P32 relative to the support rod 7 to be disposed at any angle within an arc A3 bounded by the acute angle A2 and the obtuse angle A1. The acute angle A2 is suggested to be about 30 degrees, the obtuse angle A1 is suggested to be 150 degrees, and the arc A3 suggested to sweep about 120 degrees. The provision to have the template hanger 25 be rotatable on the support rod 7 within a horizontal arc may be given by the bowl 23B of the J-shaped slot 23 being substantively oval-shaped and co-formed with the locating edge 61 and the load transmitting concave edge 32 to cooperatively receive the horizontal support rod 7 that a valid hanger contacts the support rod 7 at the load-contact point P32. And, provision may be given by the template hanger 25 being able to rotate about the load-contact point P32 through the arc A3 without interference from the J-shaped slot 23, the locating edge 61, and the load transmitting concave edge 32. By virtue of the relationships and engagements among the J-shaped slot 23, the locating edge 61, the load transmitting concave edge 32, the support rod 7, and the load-contact point P32, a package 9 hung on the support rod 7 in tandem with a series of similar packages 9 that generally occlude each other may be afforded viewing.
In the illustrated embodiment best viewed in FIG. 7B, the load-contact plane 700 is a vertical plane that passes through the load-contact point P32 and is perpendicular to the front planar surface 917 of the template hanger 25.
To afford easy alpha-numeric identification of goods stored within a package 9 provision may be given to label template hanger 25 before or after it is attached to the storage bag. In the illustrated embodiment best viewed in FIG. 7A, the end section 99 of the holding section 72 is integrally formed with label section 77. The label section 77 may include downwardly projecting label tab 78 that may have inside edge 79 horizontally spaced apart from the load-contact point P32 a length dimension L10. The horizontal length dimension L10 is slightly greater than half of the horizontal length dimension L13 separating the spaced apart side edges of the storage bag to which the given valid hanger may be attached. When a storage bag is attached to a valid hanger, as described below, the side edge 15 of the said storage bag may be disposed adjacent the inside edge 79, label section 77 may be disposed beyond the extent of the storage bag 10, and the downwardly projecting label tab 78 may be disposed below the top edges 312 and 314 of the storage bag 10. The provision to provide easy alpha-numeric identification of goods stored within package 9 may be given by the label section 77 of the valid hanger being able to accept an applied identification mark by permanent marker, pad printing, or adhesive label, for example, and being vertically wider than the holding section 72 that fingers and thumb grasping the holding section 72 do not smudge or degrade the said identification, when a package 9 is handled as described below. By virtue of the relationships and engagements between the label section 77, the side edge 15 of an attached storage bag, and an applied alpha-numeric identifier (not shown), the alpha-numeric identification of goods within a package 9 may be afforded.
Referring to FIG. 20, short-depth storage is defined as a package 9 hanging from a horizontal support rod that is spaced from a vertical parallel wall 931 a horizontal length dimension L120 that is less than half the horizontal length dimension L13 separating the spaced apart side edges of the storage bag of package 9. The horizontal length dimension L120 separating the support rod 7 from the wall 931 is measured normal to the center-line C7 of the support rod 7. Short-depth storage is desirable because it allows space that is smaller than optimal to be used for storage.
To afford short-depth storage of a package 9 hung on the support rod 7, provision may be given to the template hanger 25 to hang obliquely on the support rod 7. In the illustrated embodiment of template hanger 25 best viewed in FIG. 20, the J-shaped slot 23 is co-formed with the locating edge 61 and the load transmitting concave edge 32 to cooperatively receive the horizontal support rod 7 obliquely. The template hanger 25 may be freely received by and disposed on the support rod 7 within the range of angles bounded by the acute angle A2 and the obtuse angle A1 (See FIG. 11) relative to the center-line C7. The actual angle that the template hanger 25 assumes at rest on the support rod 7 is defined as rest angle A9. The concave edge 32 in co-operation with the circular cross-section of the support rod 7 predisposes the rest angle A9 to be approximately 90 degrees. When the horizontal length dimension L120 is less than half the length dimension L13, a side edge of the storage bag will touch the wall 931 and the template hanger 25 will be received on the support rod 7 at the rest angle A9 that is acute or obtuse. The horizontal length dimension L120 may be as small as the length dimension given by the product of half the length dimension L13 and the Sine of the acute angle A2 or the obtuse angle A1, whichever is smaller, to allow a valid hanger to be received on the support rod 7. The provision for the template hanger 25 to hang obliquely may be given by the J-shaped slot 23 being able to receive the support rod 7 without interference when the support rod 7 is disposed normal and when it is disposed obliquely to the J-shaped slot. By virtue of the relationships and engagements among the J-shaped slot 23, the locating edge 61, the load transmitting concave edge 32, and the support rod 7, a valid hanger may be afforded oblique disposition on the support rod 7 that is spaced from a vertical parallel wall a distance less than half the horizontal length dimension separating the spaced apart side edges of the attached storage bag. The minimum angle for acute angle A2 is suggested as 30 degrees. The maximum angle for obtuse angle A1 is suggested as 150 degrees.
To afford aggressive interference of a storage bag or user's hand with a valid hanger, provision may be given to the template hanger 25 to increase the friction and grasping forces between the template hanger 25 and the storage bag or a user's hand. The template hanger 25 has horizontal grooves 956 on front and back surface 917, 918 (See FIG. 1D) that may receive any horizontal ridges disposed on header 114, such as the ridges given in included U.S. Pat. No. 4,363,345 to Scheibner. The grooves 956 co-operate with the ridges of U.S. Pat. No. 4,363,345 disposed on resealable bags to increase friction and interference between the template hanger 25 and the header 114, and between the template hanger 25 and the user's hand, during opening and handling of the attached storage bag by the user as described below. Provision to increase the grasping forces and friction between the template hanger 25 and the storage bag or a user's hand may be given by the horizontal grooves 956. By virtue of the relationships and engagements between any horizontal grooves 956 of a valid hanger and any horizontal ridges disposed on the header 114, increased interference, friction and grasping forces between a valid hanger and the header 114, and between a valid hanger and a user's hand, may be afforded.
As best viewed in FIG. 4C, there is illustrated at 25W a tabbed hanger that is the preferred embodiment of the hanger of the present invention. The tabbed hanger 25W may be attached to a bag representative of the resealable storage bag 8C (best viewed in FIG. 3C). The tabbed hanger 25W may embody the template hanger 25 that any or all of the features of the template hanger 25 may be included in tabbed hanger 25W. The tabbed hanger 25W may be formed from a resilient material.
To afford reversibly attaching the storage bag 8C to the tabbed hanger 25W provision may be given to the tabbed hanger 25W to reversibly anchor storage bag 8C. In the illustrated embodiment best viewed in FIG. 4C, the tabs 34 and 35 extend outwardly from the arms 28 and 29, respectively, where the vertical length dimension L1 of the said tabs is significantly smaller than the vertical length dimension L2 of the said arms. The shoulders 36 and 37 intermediate of the said tabs and the said arms are formed coincident with the vertical edges 281 and 291, respectively, of the said arms. The vertical length dimension L1 of the tabs 34 and 35 is slightly greater than the diameter dimension L3 of the apertures 19 and 22 (best viewed in FIG. 3C). When the tabbed hanger 25W is attached to the storage bag 8C, as described below, the said tabs are received in the said apertures and a portion of the material of the header 114 of the storage bag 8C is tensioned around the tabs 34 and 35. The provision to anchor the tabbed hanger 25W to the storage bag 8C may be given by the diameter dimension L3 of the apertures 19 and 22 deforming and stretching around the vertical length dimension L1 of the tabs 34 and 36 (best viewed in FIG. 23), respectively. The provision to remove the tabbed hanger 25W from the storage bag 8C may be given by the resilience of the material forming the storage bag 8C so that the tabs 34, 36 may pull free from the attachment apertures 19, 22, respectively, during the in-use process of detaching the tabbed hanger 25W from the storage bag 8C, as described below. By virtue of the relationships and engagements among the vertical length dimension L1 of the projecting tabs 34, 35, the diameter dimension L3 of the attachment apertures 19, 22, the resilience of the tabbed hanger's construction material, and the resilience of the material of the storage bag's header 114, reversible attachment of the tabbed hanger 25W to the storage bag 8C may be afforded.
Preferably, the tabbed hanger 25W is fabricated of a relatively thin, resilient material, such as plastic or laminated wood, that enables the arms, and particularly the arm 28, to be flexed relative to the head 26 and the arm 29, such as in the manner described below for in-use anchoring of the tabbed hanger 25W to the storage bag 8C.
To afford convenient handling of the tabbed hanger 25W and the storage bag 8C to which it is attached, provision may be given to secure the tabbed hanger 25W to the storage bag 8C. In the illustrated embodiment best viewed in FIG. 4C, the horizontal length dimension L17 spacing apart the shoulders 36, 37 is slightly greater than the horizontal length dimension L5 spacing apart the vertical center-lines C19, C22 of the attachment apertures 19, 22, respectively (best viewed in FIG. 3C). As illustrated in FIG. 5, when hanger and bag are assembled, the aperture 19 receives the tab 34 and denies the shoulder 36, and aperture 22 receives the tab 35 and denies the shoulder 37 such that the sidewall 12 in the general area between the apertures is deformed and stretched across the shoulders 36, 37 so that the general area between the apertures lays flat and contacting the said hanger, and so that the attachment apertures 19, 22 stretch across the projecting tabs 34, 35 and cooperatively pull the opposite shoulders 37, 36, respectively. The arms 28, 29 are sufficiently rigid to remain generally co-planar under the tension of the stretched area between the apertures and the moderate load of the goods stored in the storage bag 8C. The provision to secure the tabbed hanger 25 to the storage bag 8C may be given by the horizontal length dimension L17 spacing apart the shoulders 36, 37 being slightly greater than the horizontal length dimension L5 spacing apart the vertical center-lines C19, C22 of the attachment apertures 19, 22, respectively. By virtue of the relationships and engagements among the spaced apart shoulders' horizontal length dimension L17, the spaced apart apertures' horizontal length dimension L5, the attachment apertures 19, 22, the shoulders 36, 37, the tabs 34, 35, and rigidity of the arms 28, 29 about the normal axis X917, convenient handling of the tabbed hanger 25W and the storage bag 8C may be afforded.
To afford the storage bag 8C attached to the tabbed hanger 25W and containing evenly distributed moderately weighted goods to hang vertical from the support rod 7, provision may be given to the tabbed hanger 25W to align substantially vertical the center-line C10 of storage bag 8C and have the center-line C10 intersect with the horizontal center-line C7 of the support rod 7. In the illustrated embodiment best viewed in FIG. 4C, the vertical load-contact plane 700 passes through the load-contact point P32, and the shoulders 36 and 37 are spaced apart the horizontal length dimension L17. Referring to FIG. 3C, the storage bag 8C has the vertical center-line C10. The storage bag 8C has the vertical center-lines C19 and C22 of the apertures 19 and 22, respectively, spaced apart the horizontal length dimension L5. The shoulder spacing dimension L17 is slightly greater than the aperture-aperture spacing horizontal dimension L5. The aperture center-line C19 is spaced from the storage bag center-line C10 by horizontal length dimension L7 that is substantially equal to the horizontal length dimension L8 separating the shoulder 36 from the load-contact plane 700. (Best viewed in FIG. 23.) The provision to vertically align the storage bag 8C when it hangs from the support rod 7 may be given by the horizontal length dimensions of the separations of the aperture center-lines C19, C22 from the storage bag center-line C10 being substantially equal to the horizontal length dimensions of the separations of the shoulders 36, 37 from the load-contact plane 700, respectively, that the storage bag center-line C10 lies within the load-contact plane 700, when the tabbed hanger 25W is attached to the storage bag 8C in the manner described below. The provision to have the center-line C10 align substantially vertical may be given by the vertical center-lines C19, C22 of the attachment apertures 19, 22, respectively, not being disposed on the same side of the storage bag center-line C10 and by the apertures 19, 22 being spaced from the center line C10 substantially the same amount as the shoulders 36, 37 are from the load-contact plane 700. By virtue of the relationships and engagements between the spacing length dimension L8 of the shoulder 36 from the load-contact plane 700 and the spacing length dimension L17 of the shoulders 36, 37 from each other, the spacing length dimension L7 of the aperture 19 from the storage bag center-line C10 and the aperture-aperture spacing horizontal dimension L5 of the attachment apertures 19, 22 from each other, the rigidity of the arms about the normal axis X917 (see FIG. 7B), the storage bag 8C attached to the tabbed hanger 25W and containing evenly distributed goods may be afforded to hang vertical from the support rod 7. (Lengths are substantially equal to allow the header's 114 material to stretch.)
Referring to FIG. 23, to afford the storage bag 8C to indefinitely support goods of moderate weight from the support rod 7, provision may be given for the tabbed hanger 25W to support the storage bag 8C and any goods of moderate weight contained. The thicknesses of the bearing tabs 34 and 35 are wide enough, and formed to provide a generally smooth bearing surface 57 (not shown), possibly convex, that does not cut into or focus stress onto the header material of the storage bag 8C in the areas adjacent the attachment apertures 19, 22, that the header material does not tear or deform beyond a minimum amount, when the storage bag 8C is loaded with goods of moderate weight and the tabbed hanger 25W is attached to the storage bag 8C as described below. The provision to support goods of moderate weight in the storage bag 8C when it is assemble with the tabbed hanger 25W may be given by the bearing surfaces 57 of the tabs 34 and 35 being generally wide and without sharp edges. By virtue of the relationships and engagements between the thickness and roundness of the tab bearing surfaces 57, and the thickness and resiliency of the material of the header 114 of the storage bag 8C, the hanger 25W may be afforded to indefinitely support from the support rod 7 the storage bag 8C having goods of moderate weight.
To afford easy attachment of the tabbed hanger 25W to the storage bag 8C, provision may be given for the tabbed hanger 25W to increase the friction and grasping forces between the projecting tabs 34, 35 of tabbed hanger 25W and the attachment apertures 19, 22 of the storage bag 8C so that during its attachment to the storage bag 8C a dropped tabbed hanger 25W may be stopped from falling out of an aperture of the storage bag 8C. The projecting tabs 34, 35 have ribs 81 (not shown) that obstruct the free movement or slippage of the attachment apertures 19, 22 over the projecting tabs 34, 35, respectively. A minimum applied energy defined by the bag's construction material is required to stretch the said apertures wider than the ribs 81, or else the said apertures will snag on the ribs 81. A falling tabbed hanger 25W has a certain amount of energy associated with it that may be dissipated across one or more successive ribs 81. The provision to provide for the attachment apertures 19, 22 to stop and snag a falling tabbed hanger 25W may be given by the relative size of the ribs 81 obstructing the free slippage of the attachment apertures 19, 22 from the projecting tabs 34, 35. By virtue of the relationships and engagements among the ribs 81, the attachment apertures 19, 22, and the plasticity of the material of the header 114, the tabbed hanger 25W may be afforded easy attachment to the storage bag 8C.
The operation of the assembly of the tabbed hanger 25W with the storage bag 8C according to the present invention is as follows.
Referring to FIG. 6, in use, to attach the tabbed hanger 25W to the storage bag 8C the arms 28, 29 of the tabbed hanger 25W are disposed between the sidewalls 11, 12 generally flat against the header 114, and are disposed parallel to the top edge 312 so that the aperture 22 is not occluded by the tabbed hanger 25W. Then, the end of the header 114 is folded forwardly around the outer vertical edge of the tab 35 while the tab 35 is moved laterally relative to the header 114 so that the tab 35 enters into and is received in the aperture 22 and the shoulder 37 is denied entry into the aperture 22 so that the shoulder 37 abuts the header 114 to prevent further travel of the tabbed hanger 25W relative to the storage bag 8C in a manner illustrated in FIG. 6. The forwardly folded end of the header 114 is then released while the tab 35 is held received in the aperture 22 and the shoulder 37 is held abutted the header 114. The arm 28 of the tabbed hanger 25W is then flexed in a back bending arc to align the tab 34 with the aperture 19. And then, the arm 28 is released so that as it returns to its normally-flat relaxed configuration the tab 34 is received in the aperture 19 and the shoulder 36 abuts the header 114 to tension across the shoulders 36 and 37 the area of the header 114 disposed between the apertures 19 and 22 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 5. When thus attached, the tabbed hanger 25W is prevented from moving either vertically or horizontally relative to the header 114. Preferably, the tabbed hanger 25W has a normally flat, relaxed configuration when attached to the storage bag 8C.
In use, the tabbed hanger 25W can be detached from the storage bag 8C by reversing the above sequence of steps should such detachment be desirable.
The operation of a package 9 that may include the tabbed hanger 25W and the storage bag 8C is as follows and is similar for other packages 9:
In use, to carry a package 9, a user's fingers and thumb may grasp the valid hanger by grasping the holding section 72 that the head 26 is cantilevered from the user's hand.
In use, to hang a given storage bag when it is attached to a valid hanger, a user carries the given storage bag to have J-shaped slot 23 receive support rod 7 and rests the load-contact point P32 on the support rod 7 where the given hanger may be disposed obliquely to the support rod 7 and may be pivoted about the load-contact point P32.
In use, to remove from support rod 7 a package 9, the above sequence of steps may be reversed should such removal be desirable.
In use, a storage bag when it is assembled with a valid hanger, and having occluded closure profiles 17, 18 can be separated to open the pouch access 519A to the interior of the given storage bag. The hanger is vertically higher than the header 114 when the two are assembled, and is disposed between the sidewalls 11, 12 that the said hanger and the header 114 are practically automatically squeezed together between the user's thumb and fingers of one hand when the user reaches out to hold said hanger and header together. The horizontal grooves 956 (not shown) of the said hanger facilitate the said hanger gripping the header and the users thumb, and is practically automatically engaged by the thumb of the user if the user strokes a thumb across the horizontal grooves 956. The horizontal grooves 956 result in a gripping surface even for a user with slippery fingers. The sidewall 12 and the header 114 grasped in one hand, isolate the sidewall 11 allowing it to be grasped by the opposing hand. The user proceeds to separate said hanger and the sidewall 12 from the sidewall 11 by spreading them to disengage the closure profiles 17 and 18 from each other.
Once the closure profiles 17 and 18 are disengaged the user may continue to spread the sidewall 12 and the header 114 from the sidewall 11 so that the sidewall 12 bends in the areas adjacent the outer edges 281, 291 of the arms 28, 29 of the hanger, and the side edges 14, 15 move towards each other. As the side edges 14, 15 move towards each other, the pouch access 519A to the interior of the said storage bag is opened between the said hanger and the sidewall 12 on one side of the pouch access 519A and the sidewall 11 on the opposing side of the pouch access 519A.
The common method for closing resealable storage bags used with the present invention is described as squeezing the closure profiles 17 and 18 together between the fingers and thumb of one hand as the hand is moved across the approximate length of the closure profiles. A user, in the process of closing the closure device 16 of a storage bag attached to an hanger, arches their palm over the attached hanger and continues closing the closure device 16 as though closing the given storage bag using the common method. Valid hangers are sized to rise above the header 114 as little as is practicable to allow a user's hand to straddle an attached hanger and comfortably reach the closure device 16 of the storage bag with their fingers and thumb. Users with smaller hands may lie said hanger and bag on a flat surface and close the given storage bag by squeezing the closure profiles 17 and 18 together between said flat surface and fingers or thumb as the hand is moved across the length of the closure profiles. Alternatively, users with smaller hands may fold the header 114 above or below the closure device 16 that the fold-line is now the top most part of the given storage bag and the closure profiles 17, 18 are accessible to the user's hand for closure using a method similar to the common method.
In view of the foregoing, it should be apparent that the present invention now provides an improved means to enable goods to be displayed on hooks or support rods using commonly available resealable storage bags similar to those like the storage bag 8C. The tabbed hanger 25W is an example of a valid hanger that may be easily attached to the storage bag 8C or the like. Moreover, a valid hanger may be prevented from being inadvertently disengaged from an attached storage bag or the support rod 7 by its novel shape and cooperation with various apertures of the storage bag. Since the hanger may be fabricated of plastic, laminated wood, or similar material, it is strong, flexible, and resistant to tearing. The hanger may be formed to be thick and more rigid where needed to support a moderate load of goods in the attached storage bag and thin and more flexible where needed to allow for bending during attachment to the storage bag.
The tabbed hanger 25W may be attached to a bag representative of the resealable storage bag illustrated as 8E in FIG. 3E, by anyone skilled in the art.
While a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail above, various modifications, alterations and changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as described above. Alternative embodiments of the present invention are disclosed below as examples of how the hanger may be modified for other formats of resealable storage bag.
In another embodiment of the present invention, arrowhead hanger illustrated at 25T in FIG. 4F, may be attached to a bag representative of the resealable storage bag 8 illustrated in FIG. 2A. The arrowhead hanger 25T may embody the tabbed hanger 25W (best viewed in FIG. 4C) so that any or all of the features of the tabbed hanger 25W may be included in arrowhead hanger 25T.
To afford attaching the storage bag 8 to the arrowhead hanger 25T, provision may be given to the arrowhead hanger 25T to secure to the storage bag 8. In the alternative embodiment best viewed in FIG. 4F, the arrowhead hanger 25T may be formed from the tabbed hanger 25W where the outward edges of tabs 34, 35, (renamed tabs 34A, 35A, respectively) are merged with arrowheads 212, 213, respectively. Arrowheads 212, 213 have arrowhead shoulders 216, 217, respectively, that are wider than their adjacent tabs. The arrowheads 212, 213 have aggressively convergent ends 214, 215 that may pierce the material constructing the header 114 of the storage bag 8 to provide the pierced apertures 218, 219 (not shown) into which may be received the projecting tabs 34A, 35A, respectively. The piercing arrowheads remove the need for any apertures to exist on the header 114 before attachment to the said hanger, as described below and for the preferred embodiment. The provision to provide for securing the arrowhead hanger 25T to the storage bag 8 may be given by the convergent ends 214, 215 being able to pierce the header 114 to produce, the pierced apertures 218, 219 into which the projecting tabs 34A, 3A5 may be received and then held from being released by the arrowhead shoulders 216, 217, respectively. By virtue of the relationships and engagements among the convergent ends 214, 215, the projecting tabs 34A, 35A, the arrowhead shoulders 216, 217 and the strength of the material of the header 114, attaching the storage bag 8 to the arrowhead hanger 25T may be afforded.
Referring to FIG. 8, in use, to attach the arrowhead hanger 25T to the storage bag 8, the said hanger is disposed against the header 114 between the sidewalls 11 and 12, with one hand, so that the arms 28, 29 are disposed parallel to the closure device 16 and the head 26 projects above the header 114. The second hand, bends the portion of the header 114 adjacent the side edge 14 a minimum of 90 degrees around the convergent end 214. Suddenly forcefully the convergent end 214 is pushed into the header 114, or alternatively, the header 114 suddenly forcefully is pulled (as shown by direction arrow D12) onto the convergent end 214 that the arrowhead 212 pierces the header 114 to form the pierced aperture 218. And then, pushing or pulling continues until the tab 34A is received in the pierced aperture 218. Similarly, for the portion of the header 114 adjacent the side edge 15, the bending and piercing actions are repeated to form the tab 35A received in the pierced aperture 219.
To effect positioning the pierced apertures 218, 219 relative to the vertical center-line C10 of the attached storage bag 8, provision may be given to locate the pierced apertures 218 and 219 on the storage bag 8. In the alternative embodiment best viewed in FIG. 4F the arrowhead hanger 25T has downwardly extending registration tab 121 integrally formed with part of the lower end of the holding section 72 where the bottom edge of the registration tab 121 may align with the bottom edge of the arm 29. The registration tab 121 has outside edge 420. The arrowhead hanger 25T may have outwardly extending protruding lip 414 disposed above the arrowhead 212. The protruding lip 414 has bottom edge 415 that is co-linear with the bottom edge 427 of the holding section 72, and has outside end 416 that extends beyond the convergent end 214 of the arrowhead 212. The bottom edge 415 of the protruding lip 414 is disposed above the arrowhead 212 a vertical length dimension L417. The outside edge 420 of the registration tab 121 is disposed from the arrowhead convergent end 214 a horizontal length dimension L418.
Referring to FIG. 8, in use, the arrowhead hanger 25T is disposed to locate the pierced aperture 218 (not shown) on the storage bag 8 by disposing the arms 28, 29 and the registration tab 121 between the sidewalls 11, 12, disposing the bottom edge 415 of the protruding lip 414 adjacent the top edge 312 of the sidewall 12, and disposing the outside edge 420 of the registration tab 121 to abut the interior corner 923 (not shown) of the storage bag 8. When the arrowhead hanger 25T is disposed to locate the pierced aperture 218, attaching the header 114 to the storage bag 8 by forming the pierced aperture 218, as described above, disposes the pierced aperture 218 vertically from the top edge 312 an approximate vertical length dimension L417, and horizontally from the interior corner 923 an approximate horizontal length dimension L418.
After attachment, the arrowhead-lip vertical length dimension L417 of the said hanger is equal to the aperture-edge vertical length dimension L26 of the said storage bag 8. The arrowhead-tab horizontal length dimension L418 of the said hanger is equal to the aperture-corner horizontal length dimension L27 of the said storage bag 8. The provision to vertically locate the pierced aperture 418 on the storage bag 8 may be given by the length dimension L417 that vertically separates the arrowhead 212 from the bottom edge 415 of the protruding lip 414, and the horizontal length dimension L418 that separates the arrowhead convergent end 214 from the outside edge 420 of the registration tab 121.
In the alternative embodiment best viewed in FIG. 4F the arrowhead hanger 25T has the convergent end 215 of the arrowhead 213 spaced from the shoulder 36A (intermediate of the tab 34A and the arm 28) a horizontal length dimension L423, and vertically spaced from the bottom edge 427 of the holding section 72 a vertical length dimension L424.
In use, the arrowhead hanger 25T is registered to locate the pierced aperture 219 on the header 114 after attaching the header 114 to the arrowhead hanger 25T by forming the pierced aperture 218 and receiving the tab 34 therein. Then, the shoulder 36A of the hanger is held to abut the pierced aperture 218, and the hanger is rotated up about the pierced aperture 218 so that registration tab 121 rises above the top edge 312 of the sidewall 12. Then, the hanger is rotated down so that the registration tab 121 is disposed below the top edge 312, on the opposite side of the header 114 so that the sidewall 11 can not contact the registration tab 121. And, the registration tab 121 is disposed so that the bottom edge 427 of the holding section 72 is adjacent the top edge 312 of the sidewall 12.
When the arrowhead hanger 25T is registered to locate the pierced aperture 219, attaching the header 114 to the storage bag 8 by forming the pierced aperture 219, as described above, disposes the pierced aperture 219 vertically from the top edge 312 of the sidewall 12 a vertical length dimension L424, and horizontally from the pierced aperture 218 a horizontal length dimension L423.
The arrowhead-edge vertical length dimension L424 of the said hanger is equal to the aperture-edge vertical length dimension L24 of the said storage bag 8. The arrowhead-shoulder horizontal length dimension L423 of the said hanger is approximately equal to the aperture-aperture horizontal length dimension L25 of the said storage bag 8.
The provision to locate pierced aperture 219 on storage bag 8 may be given by the vertical length dimension L424 that separates the arrowhead 219 from the bottom edge 427 of the holding section 72, and the horizontal length dimension L423 that horizontally separates the arrowhead convergent end 215 from the shoulder 36A that is intermediate of the arm 28 and the tab 34A.
By virtue of the relationships and engagements among the arrow convergent ends 214, 215, the bottom edge 427 of the holding section 72, the shoulder 36A, the bottom edge 415 of the protruding lip 414, and the outside edge 420 of the registration tab 121 of the arrowhead hanger 25T, and the interior corner 923 and the top edge 312 of the storage bag 8, the pierced apertures 218, 219 are registered on the header 114 of the storage bag 8.
As best viewed in FIG. 4G, there is illustrated at 25P a clasp hanger that is an alternative embodiment of the hanger of the present invention, and that may be attached to a bag representative of the resealable storage bag 8 illustrated in FIG. 2A. The clasp hanger 25P may be fabricated as an injection molded component and assembled from two hinged-together parts, pawl-hanger 966 and rotating skirt 810, when folded together along a living hinge 172. The pawl-hanger 966 may embody the template hanger 25 so that any or all of the features of the template hanger 25 may be included in the pawl-hanger 966.
In the alternative embodiment of the present invention, illustrated in FIG. 4G, the pawl-hanger 966 has laterally extending lip 955 integrally formed with the top corner section of the skirt 4 adjacent the vertical edge 281. The lip 955 has bottom edge 944. The bottom edge 427 of the holding section 72 is co-linear with the bottom edge 944. The side and bottom edges of the skirt 4 are generally co-planar with the side and bottom edges of the rotating skirt 810. The outer vertical edges 281, 291 of the skirt 4 are space apart a horizontal length dimension L17. (See FIG. 19.)
In the illustrated embodiment best viewed in FIG. 4G, the clasp hanger 25P has first inside surface 801 disposed on the skirt 4 adjacent the living hinge 172 and second inside surface 802 (not shown) disposed on rotating skirt 810 opposing first inside surface 801. Referring to FIG. 19, the living hinge 172 may have one or more tubular parts A and one or more tubular parts B, aligned adjacent to each other in alternating fashion, so that the center-lines of the tubular parts A and B are co-linear with center-line C101. The tubular parts A and B have inside diameter dimension L56 (not shown) and wall thickness dimension L57 (not shown). The parts A of the living hinge 172 are integrally formed with the skirt 4 adjacent the first inside surface 801 where the center-line C101 is disposed parallel and near the top edge 428 (not shown) of the skirt 4. The parts B of the living hinge 172 are integrally formed with, and parallel to, the top edge 803 of the rotating skirt 810. The living hinge 172 has a hinge pin 499 sized and disposed to secure the parts A to the parts B in rotating hinge fashion about the center-line C101 so that the clasp hanger 25P may fold along the living hinge 172. When the first inside surface 801 is disposed parallel to the second inside surface 802 the clasp hanger 25P is closed.
In the illustrated embodiment best viewed in FIG. 4G, the inside surfaces 801, 802 may include integral, two- piece locking fasteners 80, 82 and 84, 86 disposed generally within the lower end of the skirt 4 and lower end of the rotating skirt 810. The locking fasteners may comprise a pawl 80, 84 and a ledge or slot 82, 86 respectively disposed on the opposing first and second inside surfaces 801 and 802, respectively, such that when brought together to close the clasp hanger 25P, the pawl 80, 84 enters and is retained by the slot 82, 86 with sufficient tension to clamp together the skirt 4 and the rotating skirt 810.
To afford reversible attachment of the clasp hanger 25P to the storage bag 8, provision may be given to the clasp hanger 25P to reversibly anchor to the storage bag 8. The provision to anchor the said hanger to the storage bag 8 may be given by the pawls 80 and 84 being sized and formed to co-operate with the slots 82, 86 and the material of the header 114 of the storage bag 8 that the two- piece locking fasteners 80, 82 and 84, 86 may engage through the header 114 by deforming or puncturing the header inside surface 112 and the header outside surface 113 to secure the storage bag 8 in hanging fashion from the pawls 80 and 84. The provision to remove the clasp hanger 25P from the storage bag 8 may be given by the pawls 80 and 84 being sized to disengage from the slots 82, 86 when moderate separating force between the skirt 4 and the rotating skirt 810 is applied. By virtue of the relationships and engagements among the slots 82, 86, the pawls 80, 84, the header 114, the material of the header 114, and the material of the clasp hanger 25P, reversible attachment of the clasp hanger 25P to the storage bag 8 may be afforded.
To afford alignment of a hanging collection of the storage bags 8, provision may be given to the clasp hanger 25P to horizontally and vertically register with the storage bag 8 before attachment so that the pawls 80, 84 can puncture or deform the header 114 at known locations. In the alternative embodiment best viewed in FIG. 4G, the pawl-hanger 966 has downwardly extending registration tab 127 integrally formed with part of the lower end of the holding section 72 where the bottom edge of the registration tab 127 may align with the bottom edge of the skirt 4. The holding section 72 has the bottom edge 427. The registration tab 127 includes outside edge 811. Referring to FIG. 19, the pawls 80, 84 have centerpoints P80, P84, respectively, disposed on horizontal center-line C812. The horizontal center-line C812 is vertically disposed from the bottom edge 944 of the lip 955 a vertical length dimension L26. The horizontal length dimensions L27, L87 sizes the horizontal separation of the outside edge 811 from the centerpoints P80, P84 of pawls 80, 84, respectively. When the storage bag 8 is attached to the clasp hanger 25P, as described below, parts of the storage bag 8 are disposed against the outside edge 811, the bottom edge 944, and the bottom edge 427. The provision to horizontally and vertically register the clasp hanger 25P to the storage bag 8 may be given by the horizontal length dimensions L27, L87 spacing the pawls 80, 84 from the outside edge 811, the vertical length dimension L26 spacing of the pawls 80, 84 from the bottom edge 944 of the lip 955, and the alignment of the bottom edge 944 with the bottom edge 427. By virtue of the relationships and engagements among the pawls 80, 84, the bottom edge 944, the bottom edge 427, and the outside edge 811, the alignment of a hanging collection of the storage bags 8 may be afforded.
To afford an evenly loaded storage bag 8 attached to the clasp hanger 25P to hang substantially vertical, provision may be given to the clasp hanger 25P to align the load-contact point P32 coincident with the storage bag center-line C10 and to dispose the center-line C10 substantially vertical. In the alternative embodiment best illustrated in FIG. 19, the outside edge 811 of the registration tab 127 is horizontally disposed from the load-contact point P32 a horizontal length dimension L34. The horizontal length dimension L87 sizing the separation of the outside edge 811 from the pawl center-point P84 is at least as big as the edge-to-point horizontal dimension L34. As may be viewed in FIG. 21, the horizontal length dimension L34 is substantially equal to the horizontal length dimension L33 sizing the separation of the storage bag center-line C10 from the storage bag side edge 15. The horizontal length dimension L33 is one half of the horizontal length dimension L13 of the storage bag 8. Provision to provide alignment of the load-contact point P32 coincident with the storage bag center-line C10 may be given by the length dimension L34 being substantially equal to the length dimension L33. When storage bag 8 is attached to the clasp hanger 25P, as described below, the storage bag center-line C10 is disposed substantially vertical and substantially coincident with the load-contact point P32 and is disposed between the anchoring pawls 80, 84 so that the load from an evenly loaded storage bag 8 will not have a moment about the load-contact point P32. Provision may be also given by the load-contact point P32 being horizontally disposed between the anchoring pawls 80, 84. By virtue of the relationships and engagements among the outside edge 811, the load-contact point P32, the bag anchoring pawls 80, 84 of the clasp hanger 25P, and the interior corner 923 and the horizontal length dimension L33 of the storage bag 8, the evenly loaded storage bag 8 attached to the clasp hanger 25P may be afforded to hang substantially vertical from the support rod 7.
Referring to FIG. 22, to afford opening the storage bag 8, as described below, when it is attached to the clasp hanger 25P, provision may be given to the clasp hanger 25P to have the side edges 14 and 15 of the storage bag 8 be able to fold around the vertical edges of the skirt 4 and the rotating skirt 810 so that the closure profiles 17 and 18 can be maximally separated when the storage bag 8 is opened. In the alternative embodiment best illustrated in FIG. 21, the storage bag side edge 14 is spaced apart from the storage bag side edge 15 the horizontal length dimension L13. The skirt 4 has the outer vertical edges 281, 291 spaced apart the horizontal length dimension L17. (See FIG. 19.) The rotating skirt 810 has its outer vertical edges spaced apart a horizontal length dimension equal to L17. When storage bag 8 is attached to clasp hanger 25P as described below, the skirt 4 may be horizontally centered on the header 114. Provision to provide the ability for the storage bag 8 to fold around the vertical edges of the skirt 4 or the rotating skirt 810 may be given by the horizontal length dimension L17 of the skirts 4, 810 being significantly smaller than the horizontal length dimension L13 of the said storage bag. By virtue of the relationships and engagements among the horizontal length dimension L13 of the said storage bag, and the horizontal length dimension L17 of the skirts of the said hanger, the opening of the storage bag 8, as described below, may be afforded.
Referring to FIG. 21, in use, to vertically locate the pawls 80, 84 on the storage bag 8 the clasp hanger 25P is registered with the storage bag 8 by straddling the hanger over the top edge 312 of the header 114 so that the skirt 4 and the rotating skirt 810 are disposed on opposite sides of the header 114: The skirt 4 is disposed between the sidewall 11 and the sidewall 12, and the living hinge 172 is disposed above the top edge 312. For horizontal registration of the pawls 80, 84, the outside edge 811 of the registration tab 127 is abutted against the interior corner 923 of the storage bag 8. For vertical registration, the top edge 312 of the storage bag 8 is disposed adjacent the bottom edge 944 of the lip 955 and adjacent the bottom edge 427 of the holding section 72.
In use, to attach the clasp hanger 25P to the storage bag 8, the clasp hanger 25P is registered with storage bag 8, as described above, and the clasp hanger 25P is closed to force the pawls 80, 84 to pierce or deform the header 114. Then, the interior corner 923 of the storage bag 8 is pulled down, away from the outside edge 811 of the registration tab 127, and released so that the sidewalls 11, 12 are disposed together on the same side of the registration tab 127.
In use, once attached, the clasp hanger 25P is prevented from moving either vertically or horizontally relative to the header 114. Preferably, the clasp hanger 25P has a normally flat, relaxed configuration when assembled in the storage bag 8. The provision to detach the clasp hanger 25P from the storage bag 8 may be given by the pawls 80, 84 being sized to disengage from the slotsrotating flap 82, 86 when moderate separating force between the skirt 4 and the rotating skirt 810 is applied so that the retaining tension of said slots with said pawls is overcome, should such detachment be desirable.
To assemble the clasp hanger 25P, the parts A of the pawl-hanger 966 are aligned with the parts B of the rotating skirt 810 and the hinge pin 499 is disposed securely and co-radially with parts A and parts B to form the living hinge 172.
Generally, to reversibly anchor the clasp hanger 25P to the storage bag 8,2.5 mm to 3.5 mm diameter pawls with substantially defined edges deform or puncture plastic film or thin film materials better than larger diameter pawls with rounder edges.
As best viewed in FIG. 4B, there is illustrated at 25D an articulated hanger that is an alternative embodiment of the hanger of the present invention that may be attached to the resealable bag 508 illustrated in FIG. 2B. The articulated hanger 25D may be fabricated as an injection molded component and assembled from three hinged-together parts, hinged-hanger 369, rotating arm 361, and second rotating flap 387 d. The hinged-hanger 369 and the rotating arm 361 fold together along living hinge 174, and the hinged-hanger 369 and second rotating flap 387 d fold together along living hinge 175 d (not shown).
As best seen in FIG. 12, the hinged-hanger 369 may embody the template hanger 25 so that any or all of the features of the template hanger 25 may be included in the hinged-hanger 369. The label section 77 may include the downwardly projecting label tab 78. The arm 29 may be extended and merged with the downwardly projecting label tab 78 of the label section 77. The hinged-hanger 369 has fixed skirt section 371 defined to include the arms 28, 29, the lower portion of the head 26, and the downwardly projecting label tab 78. The vertical load-contact plane 700 contains the load-contact point P32 and is perpendicular to the front planar surface 917.
Referring to FIG. 13, the hinged-hanger 369 is hinged to the rotating arm 361 along the living hinge 174. The living hinge 174 has one or more tubular parts C and one or more tubular parts D aligned adjacent to each other in alternating fashion that the center-lines of the tubular parts C and D are co-linear with center-line C102. The tubular parts C and D have equal inside diameters and wall thicknesses. The parts C of the living hinge 174 are integrally formed with the front planar surface 917 where the center-line C102 is disposed slightly inclined from vertical away from holding section 72 (See FIG. 7C). The parts D of the living hinge 174 are integrally formed with slightly inclined side edge 819 of the rotating arm 361 where the center-line C102 is disposed parallel the inclined side edge 819. The living hinge 174 has hinge pin 498 sized and disposed to secure the parts C to the parts D in rotating hinge fashion about the center-line C102. The rotating arm 361 has front surface 364 opposite the first contact surface 382 (hidden from view).
Referring to FIG. 13, the articulated hanger 25D has second contact surface 381 disposed on the hinged-hanger 369 co-planar with the front planar surface 917 and opposite the first contact surface 382 (hidden from view) disposed on the rotating arm 361. Referring to FIG. 15, when second contact surface 381 is rotated about the living hinge 174 to be disposed opposite and parallel to the first contact surface 382, the articulated hanger 25D is closed.
Referring to FIG. 14, distal end 390 of the rotating arm 361 is integrally formed with a merged first leg of a U-shaped channel 451. The U-shaped channel 451 has clamp first leg 453 separated from the first leg by channel 460 having channel width dimension 490. The channel 460 has channel opening 452 disposed to face the living hinge 174 (not shown), and has inside channel surface 454 (not shown) disposed on the clamp first leg 453. Area 363 is disposed on the front surface 364 opposite the inside channel surface 454. Disposed on the area 363 is a through hole or void 365.
Referring to FIG. 15, to maintain the articulated hanger 25D closed, the second contact surface 381 (not shown) and the first contact surface 382 (not shown) may include integral, two- piece locking fastener 184, 182. The locking fastener may comprise a ledge or slot 182 (best viewed in FIG. 13) disposed on the first contact surface 382 of the rotating arm 361 intermediate of the through hole or void 365 and the living hinge 174. And, may comprise a pawl 184 (best viewed in FIG. 12) disposed on the opposing second contact surface 381 opposite the ledger or slot 182. When the articulated hanger 25D is closed, the pawl 184 is entered and retained by the slot 182 with sufficient interference or tension to hold together the rotating arm 361 and the fixed skirt section 371 (as shown in FIG. 15). The pawl 184 is sized to disengage from the slot 182 when moderate separating force between the rotating arm 361 and the fixed skirt section 371 is applied that the retaining tension of said slot with said pawl is overcome, and the articulated hanger 25D is opened.
Referring to FIG. 16, the rotating arm 361 includes rotating flap 387 hinged to the rotating arm 361 along living hinge 175. The living hinge 175 has one or more tubular parts G and one or more tubular parts H aligned adjacent to each other in alternating fashion that the center-lines of the tubular parts G and H are co-linear with center-line C105. The tubular parts G and H have equal inside diameters and wall thicknesses. The parts G of the living hinge 175 are integrally formed with the first contact surface 382 of the rotating arm 361 where the center-line C105 is disposed vertical and between the through hole or void 365 and the living hinge 174 (not shown). The parts H of the living hinge 175 are integrally formed with the first rotating flap 387 where the center-line C105 is disposed parallel to and near a vertical side edge. The living hinge 175 has a hinge pin 497 sized and disposed to secure the parts G to the parts H in rotating hinge fashion about the center-line C105.
Articulated hanger 25D has the first contact surface 382 disposed on rotating arm 361. First flap surface 377 is disposed on the first rotating flap 387 opposing the first contact surface 382. When the first flap surface 377 is rotated about the living hinge 175 to be disposed opposite and parallel to the first contact surface 382, the first rotating flap 387 is closed (as shown in FIG. 15).
Referring to FIG. 16, the distal end 389 of the first rotating flap 387 is integrally formed with a projection 397 having front face 391 sized and disposed to be received in and through the through hole or void 365 of the rotating arm 361 when the first rotating flap 387 is closed.
The front face 391 has attached high-friction tape 392 having foam backing 393. The inside channel surface 454 (not shown) has attached high-friction tape 394. When the first rotating flap 387 is closed, the high-friction tape 392 contacts the high-friction tape 394 and the foam backing 393 is compressed to cause clamping pressure between said high-friction tapes. The high-friction tapes may be attached by adhesive.
Referring to FIG. 14, the first contact surface 382 (not shown) and the first flap surface 377 may include integral, two- piece locking fasteners 781, 782 and 785, 786. The locking fasteners may comprise pawls 781, 785, respectively, disposed on the first contact surface 382 of the rotating arm 361. And, may comprise a ledge or slot 782, 786, respectively, disposed on the opposing first flap surface 377 of the first rotating flap 387. When the first rotating flap 387 is closed, the pawls 781, 785 are entered into and retained by the ledges or slots 782, 786 with sufficient tension or interference to compress foam backing 393 that clamping pressure between the high- friction tapes 392, 394 is maintained. When the first rotating flap 387 is closed, the high- friction tapes 392, 394 are clamped.
Best viewed in FIG. 17, the features and attributes of the U-shaped channel 451 (not shown), the living hinge 175, the first rotating flap 387, the through hole 365, and the high- friction tapes 392, 394 are duplicated and integrally formed on the fixed skirt section 371 as though generally mirrored across the load-contact plane 700 when the articulated hanger 25D is closed.
Identifiers for the duplicated features or attributes are referenced and are labeled in all appropriate figures as a concatenation of the identifier of the original feature or attribute and the suffix “d”. Additionally, all references to “first” in the context of an original feature or attribute is given as “second” in the context of the mirrored duplicate. As an example, “first rotating flap 387” is mirrored through the load-contact plane 700 to be “second rotating flap 387 d” disposed on the fixed skirt section 371.
To afford reversibly attaching the articulated hanger 25D to the storage bag 508 having moderate load, provision may be given to the articulated hanger 25D to secure to the storage bag 508. In the alternative embodiment best viewed in FIG. 18 and FIG. 14, the channel width dimension 490, 490 d is sized to comfortably allow the side edges 514, 515 of the storage bag 508 to be received through the channel opening 452, 452 d into the channel 460, 460 d, respectively. The high-friction tape pairs 392, 394, and 392 d, 394 d clamp securely the thin-film material of the storage bag 508 adjacent the side edges 514, 515, when the first, second rotating flaps 387, 387 d are maintained closed and the foam backings 393, 393 d are compressed, respectively. The provision to secure the articulated hanger 25D to the storage bag 508 may be given by the compressible foam backings 393, 393 d clamping said high-friction tape pairs 392, 394 and 392 d, 394 d, respectively, against the storage bag 508, and the two piece locking fasteners 781, 782; 785, 786, and 781 d, 782 d; 785 d, 786 d, respectively, maintaining said foam backings compressed. By virtue of the relationships and engagements among the high friction tapes 392, 394 and 392 d, 394 d, the foam backings 393, 393 d, the two piece locking fasteners 781, 782; 785, 786, and 781 d, 782 d; 785 d, 786 d, and the material of the storage bag 508, reversible attachment of the articulated hanger 25D to the storage bag 508 may be afforded.
To afford vertical alignment of a moderately and evenly loaded storage bag 508 attached to the articulated hanger 25D that hangs from the support rod 7, provision may be given to the articulated hanger 25D to roughly align the center-line of an attached storage bag 508 with the vertical load-contact plane 700. In the alternative embodiment best viewed in FIG. 17, the vertical load-contact plane 700 (shown on edge) of the articulated hanger 25D intersects with the load-contact point P32 and is centered between the high friction tape pairs 392, 394 and 392 d, 394 d. The said tape pairs grip the sidewalls adjacent the side edges 514, 515 of the storage bag 508 to secure the articulated hanger 25D to the storage bag 508. Referring to FIG. 3B, the storage bag center-line C510 is centered between the side edges 514 and 515. The provision to align a moderately and evenly loaded storage bag to hang vertical from the support rod 7 may be given by the load-contact plane 700 being disposed coincident with the center-line C510 when the articulated hanger 25D is attached (as described below) to the storage bag 508 by said high-friction tape pairs clamping near said side edges. By virtue of the relationships and engagements among the vertical plane 700, the high friction tape pairs 392, 394 and 392 d, 394 d, the load-contact point P32, the storage bag center-line C10, and the side edges 514 and 515, vertical alignment of the moderately and evenly loaded storage bag 508 attached to the articulated hanger 25D that hangs from the support rod 7 may be afforded.
To afford opening the storage bag 508 when it is attached to the articulated hanger 25D, provision may be given to the articulated hanger 25D to open an access to the interior of said storage bag. In the alternative embodiment best viewed in FIG. 18, the high friction tape pairs 392, 394 and 392 d, 394 d, respectively, move in an arc towards each other when the rotating arm 361 rotates about the living hinge 174. When the storage bag 508 is attached (as described below) to the articulated hanger 25D the storage bag's sidewalls adjacent the side edges 514, 515 are clamped between the said high friction tape pairs. In use (as described below) when the side edges 514, 515 are free to move towards each other and the profiles 517, 518 are separated, the sidewalls 511, 512 may be pulled apart to open the pouch access 519A. The provision to have the side edges 514, 515 of the storage bag 508 move towards each other when the storage bag 508 is attached to the articulated hanger 25D may be given by the high friction tape pairs 392, 394 and 392 d, 394 d, respectively, clamping near the side edges 514, 515 and rotating about the living hinge 174. By virtue of the relationships and engagements among the high friction tape pairs 392, 394 and 392 d, 394 d, and the living hinge 174 of the articulated hanger 25D, and the side edges 514, 515 and sidewalls 511, 512 of the storage bag 508, the opening of the storage bag 508 when it is attached to the articulated hanger 25D may be afforded.
To afford secure closure of the articulated hanger 25D when it is attached to the storage bag 508, provision may be given to the articulated hanger 25D to be bias closed. In the alternative embodiment best viewed in FIG. 7C, when the articulated hanger 25D is closed the pawl 184 is received and retained in slot 182. A source of bias for the articulated hanger 25D to stay closed may be given by the degree of interference between the pawl 184 and the slot 182 keeping both together. Another source of bias for the articulated hanger 25D to stay closed may be given by the degree of incline from vertical that the living hinge 174 is disposed. The provision to bias articulated hanger to its closed position may be given by the degree of interference between pawl 184 and slot 182, and by the degree of incline from vertical living hinge 174 is disposed. By virtue of the relationships and engagements among the pawl 184, the slot 182, and the degree of incline of the living hinge 174, secure closure of the articulated hanger 25D when it is attached to the storage bag 508 may be afforded.
To afford securing the articulated hinge 25D closed when it is attached to the storage bag 508 and being manipulated while hanging on the support rod 7, provision may be given to the articulated hinge 25D to minimize the forces tending to open the articulated hanger 25D. In the alternative embodiment best illustrated in FIG. 13, the rotating arm 361 has upwardly projecting head section 373 having J-shaped slot 230 similar in form and function to the J-shaped slot 23 of the hinged hanger 369, shown in FIG. 12. The J-shaped slot 230 helps distribute the load from the storage bag 508 secured between the U-shaped channel 451 of the rotating arm 361 and the U-shaped channel 451 d of the hinged hanger 369. The load is distributed onto the support rod 7 to minimize the inertial forces between, and tending to separate, hinged-hanger 369 and rotating arm 361, when the storage bag 508 is moved or rotated about support rod 7. The provision to bias the articulated hanger 25D closed may be given by the J-shaped slot 230 and the J-shaped slot 23 cooperating to distribute the load, from the secured storage bag 508, onto the support rod 7. By virtue of the relationships and engagements among the J-shaped slot 230, the J-shaped slot 23, the storage bag 508, and the support rod 7, the secured closure of the articulated hanger 25D when it is attached to the storage bag 508 and manipulated while hanging on the support rod 7 may be afforded.
Referring to FIG. 18 and FIG. 14, in use, to attach the articulated hanger 25D to the storage bag 508, the side edge 514 of the storage bag 508 is disposed in the channel 460, between the through hole or void 365 of the rotating arm 361 and the high-friction tape 394 (not shown) of the U-shaped channel 451. The closure device 516 and the closure slider 615 of the storage bag 508 (best viewed in FIG. 3B) are disposed above the U-shaped channel 451 so that the closure slider 615 is fully accessible and movable. The rotating flap 387 is positioned closed with the side edge 514 clamped between the high-friction tapes 392, 394 (not shown). Similarly, the side edge 515 of the storage bag 508 is disposed in the channel 460 d (not shown) between the through hole or void 365 d (not shown) and the high-friction tape 394 d (not shown) of the U-shaped channel 451 d, that the closure device 516 is disposed above the U-shaped channel 451 d and that the closure slider 615 is fully accessible and movable. The rotating flap 387 d is positioned closed with the side edge 515 clamped between the high- friction tapes 392 d, 394 d (not shown). The storage bag 508 is opened as described below to give access to the interior of storage bag 508. A movable locking slot 616 is repositioned from a pawl 617 (See FIG. 13) disposed above the closure device 516, to a pawl 618 (not shown) from within the storage bag 508, to attach by puncturing or deforming the sidewall 512 to the hinged-hanger 369. Said sidewall attachment improves how easily the closure profiles 517, 518 pull apart when the storage bag 508 is opened as described below.
In use, to open the storage bag 508 with the profiles 517, 518 occluded while said bag is attached to the articulated hanger 25D, the user holds the closure device 516 adjacent the closure slider 615, with a first hand. With the second hand the closure slider 615 is moved to disengage the closure profiles 517, 518. The locking fastener pawl 184 and slot 182 parts are unlocked, to open the articulated hanger 25D, by folding the distal end 390 of the rotating arm 361 about the living hinge 174 towards the holding section 72. The second hand is re-positioned to hold the hinged-hanger 369 in the area adjacent the living hinge 174. The first hand is re-positioned to grip the closure profile 518 and pull it away from the closure profile 517, that the articulated hanger 25D folds about living hinge 174 and the side edges 514, 515 of the storage bag 508 move towards each other. As said closure profiles separate, the pouch access 519A to the interior of the storage bag 508 is opened between the articulated hanger 25D and the sidewall 512 on one side of the pouch access 519A and the sidewall 511 on the opposing side of the pouch access 519A.
In use, to reseal the storage bag 508 with profiles 517, 518 separated while said storage bag is secured to the articulated hanger 25D, the user closes the hanger to engage the pawl 184 with the slot 182, and seals the pouch access 519A to the interior of the storage bag 508 by moving the closure slider 615 to engage the closure profiles 517, 518. The storage bag 508 and/or the rotating arm 361 is held with a first hand and the closure slider 615 is moved to occlude the closure profiles 517, 518 with the second hand.
Other possible alternative two-piece locking fasteners well-known in the art may include a garment type snap fastener (not shown) or a stud and grommet fastener (not shown). Many variations of such locking fasteners are possible, the intent herein being to illustrate several possible ways to implement the locking fastener to secure the hinged halves together. The locking fasteners, in any embodiment of the present invention, may be formed as piercing fasteners with the locking means supplied by an inverted, U-shaped, resilient clip 64 (also referred to in the prior art as a spring clip) fitted over the folded associated living hinge. The mechanism of the resilient clip 64 is not illustrated here as examples of a spring clip exists in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 7,004,629 to Shrader et al. describes and illustrates a spring clip of suitable design for use with the invention described herein. As an example, the resilient clip 64 around living hinge 174 may act to firmly secure the articulated hanger 25D closed. A pair of grooves 68, each disposed on the outsides of the hinged-hanger 369 and rotating arm 361 are provided to retain the resilient clip 64 in position. When installed, the lower edges of the resilient clip 64 engage the grooves 68 to retain the resilient clip 64 against the closed body of the articulated hanger 25D. The clip may preferably be fabricated of a resilient metal spring stock such as spring steel. Similarly, two- piece locking fasteners 80, 82 and 84, 86 are formed as inverted, U-shaped, resilient clips fitted over the folded living hinges 175, and 175 d, respectively. In cooperation with the resilient clip the pawls of the locking fasteners may be formed mainly to puncture the header material of a storage bag.
Any locking fastener employed should, of course, be configured for repeated cycles of reuse. The hangers described above may be fabricated, including the locking fastener features, e.g., by injection molding, of a thermoplastic material such as polypropylene or the like having the strength, resilience, flexibility and other properties adequate to provide the living hinge feature and support the intended loads stored in the resealable storage bag 8 or the storage bag 508. Such material provides a molded article that is rigid yet includes a “living hinge” that retains its flexibility and durability through many repetitions of fold and unfold cycles.
Referring to FIG. 27, there is illustrated at 25F a folding hanger that is an alternative embodiment of the hanger of the present invention that may be attached to the resealable bag 508 illustrated in FIG. 2B. The folding hanger 25F is an alternative embodiment of the articulated hanger 25D where the living hinges 174, 175, and 175 d have been replaced by foldable connecting bridge members 774, 171, and 171 d, respectively, and the pawl 184 and the slot 182 of the articulated hanger 25D replaced by a latch 701 and shoulder step 703. The shoulder step 703 includes shoulder 703A.
The foldable connecting bridge members 171, 171 d, may be disposed with their folding axises horizontal, and their associated locking fasteners shown represented as foam backing 393 appropriately repositioned.
The latch 701 may be disposed on one side of the bridge member 774 and have a distal end lip 702 formed to engage the shoulder step 703 disposed on the opposite side of the bridge member 774. When the bridge member 774 is straightened the distal end lip 702 and shoulder 703A engage by the latch 701 being flexed-dragged over the shoulder step 703 to straighten and rest on the shoulder 703A. The shoulder step 703 is formed to facilitate the latch engaging the shoulder and resist the latch disengaging the shoulder. The shoulder 703A restrains the distal end lip 702 from bending away from its straight and rest position. When the distal end lip 702 and shoulder 703A are engaged, folding the bridge member 774 requires a minimum threshold of force to overcome the resistance cased by the distal end lip 702 resting on the shoulder 703A.
It may be that the high- friction tapes 392, 394 and 392 d, 394 d are replaced singly or in cooperating pairs by textured surfaces. It may be that the securing provision utilizing high- friction tapes 392, 394 and 392 d, 394 d is replaced by one or more pawl and slot locking fasteners that puncture the sidewalls 511, 512 of the storage bag 508. It may be that the fasteners are sized not to puncture the sidewalls 511, 512 of the storage bag 508, but only deform the sidewalls and securely hold them. The fasteners are similar in design and function to the two-piece locking fasteners described for the clasp hanger 25P above.
The embodiments of the articulated hangers described above are illustrative of those embodiments that simply clamp on or around the existing sides of the resealable storage bag 508. Thus, no modification to the structure of the storage bag 508 is required.
To assemble the articulated hanger 25D, (referring to FIG. 13) the parts C of the hinged-hanger 369 are aligned with the parts D of the rotating arm 361 and the hinge pin 498 is disposed securely and co-radially with parts C and parts D to form the living hinge 174; (referring to FIG. 16) the parts G of the rotating arm 361 are aligned with the parts H of the first rotating flap 387 and the hinge pin 497 is disposed securely and co-radially with parts G and parts H to form living hinge 175; the parts Gd of the hinged-hanger 369 are aligned with the parts Hd of the second rotating flap 387 d and the hinge pin 497 d is disposed securely and co-radially with parts Gd and parts Hd to form living hinge 175 d; the high-friction tape pairs 392, 394 and 392 d, 394 d are attached by their adhesives to first rotating flap 387, clamp first leg 453, and second rotating flap 387 d, clamp second leg 453 d, respectively, and; (referring to FIG. 18) movable locking slot 616 is positioned on the pawl 617.
In another embodiment of the present invention, zip hanger shown as 25Z in FIG. 24 (the sidewall 11 is shown transparent), may be attached to the embodiment of a resealable storage bag 8 illustrated in FIG. 3A. The zip hanger 25Z may embody the template hanger 25 so that any or all of the features of the template hanger 25 may be included in the zip hanger 25Z.
To afford reversible attachment the zip hanger 25Z to the storage bag 8 having moderate load, provision may be given to the zip hanger 25Z to vertically and horizontally secure to the storage bag 8. In the alternative embodiment best viewed in FIG. 24, male closure profile 717 is a duplicate of the male closure profile 17 of the storage bag 8, and is horizontally disposed and co-molded or fused to the front planar surface 917 (not shown) of the skirt 4 of the zip hanger 25Z. Female closure profile 718 is a duplicate of the female closure profile 18 of the storage bag 8, and is horizontally disposed and co-molded or fused to the back planar surface 918 of the skirt 4 of the zip hanger 25Z. The horizontal length of the closure profiles 717 and 718 given by horizontal length dimension L41 is slightly less than the edge-to-edge horizontal length dimension L13 of storage bag 8. (The “slightly less” quality of the horizontal length dimension L41 may not be adequately illustrated in FIG. 24 to better show other aspects of the embodiment.)
The provision for vertically securing the said hanger to the storage bag 8 may be given by the male closure profile 717 being able to mate with the female closure profile 18 of the storage bag 8, and the female closure profile 718 being able to mate with the male closure profile 17 of the storage bag 8. The provision for horizontally securing the said hanger to the storage bag 8 may be given by the horizontal length dimension L41 allowing closure profiles 717, and 718 to maximally extend between the side edges of the storage bag 8 to minimize lateral displacement of said bag relative to said hanger. By virtue of the relationships and engagements among the closure profiles 17 and 18 of the storage bag 8, and the closure profiles 717 and 718 of the zip hanger 25Z, reversible attachment of the said hanger to the storage bag 8 may be afforded.
In use, the storage bag 8 is attached the zip hanger 25Z by engaging the male, female closure profiles 717, 718 of the zip hanger 25Z with the female, male closure profiles 18, 17 of the storage bag 8, respectively.
In use, the storage bag 8 attached to the zip hanger 25Z is opened by disengaging either of the two male-female closure profiles 717-18 or 17-718 so that the zip hanger 25Z is still secured to the storage bag 8 by the remaining engaged male-female closure profiles.
In another embodiment of the present invention, pinned hanger shown as 25R in FIG. 4E, may be attached to the embodiment of the resealable storage bags 8E illustrated in FIG. 3E. The pinned hanger 25R may embody the tabbed hanger 25W so that any or all of the features of the tabbed hanger 25W may be included in the pinned hanger 25R.
The pinned hanger 25R has downwardly extending pin-hold tab 721 integrally formed with part of the lower end of the holding section 72 where the bottom edge of the pin-hold tab 721 may align with the bottom edge of the arm 29. The pin-hold tab 721 is integrally formed with horizontally disposed pin holder 621 that has holder entrance 622, and that is sized to securely receive and hold piercing pin 623. The piercing pin 623 includes shaft 624 having piercing end 625 and pushing end 626. The piercing end 625 is shaped and sized to pierce the thin film material that forms the header 114 of storage bags 8C, 8E. The pushing end 626 is shaped and sized to comfortably accept the user's finger or thumb that may push the piercing pin to puncture the header 114.
To afford reversible attachment of the storage bag 8E to the pinned hanger 25R, provision may be given to the pinned hanger 25R to secure to the storage bag 8E. (The same provision may be used to attach to storage bag 8C.) In the illustrated embodiment best viewed in FIG. 4E, the pinned hanger 25R has the horizontal length dimension L17 spacing apart the shoulders 36 and 37. The dimension L17 is equal to or slightly less than the horizontal length dimension L903 spacing apart the horizontal extents of the header opening 919 (best viewed in FIG. 3E). The provision to secure the said hanger to the storage bag 8E may be given by the horizontal length dimension L17 being equal to or slightly greater than the horizontal length dimension L903 so that the header opening 919 may straddle and stretch across the said hanger's shoulders 36, 37 and dispose the storage bag 8E to hang from the projecting tabs 34, 35 (best viewed in FIG. 9). And, provision may be given by the header 114 being foldable across the holder entrance 622 and pinnable to the hanger by the piercing end 625 puncturing the header 114 to be received in the pin holder 621. The provision to reverse the securing may be given by the piercing pin being removable from the pin holder 621, and the header opening 919 being removable from the projecting tabs 34, 35.
By virtue of the relationships and engagements among the horizontal length dimension L17, the projecting tabs 34, 35, the horizontal length dimension L903, the holder entrance 622, the piercing end 625, the piercing pin 623, the pin holder 621, and the header 114, reversible attachment of the storage bag 8E to the pinned hanger 25R may be afforded.
In use, as best viewed in FIG. 9, the storage bag 8E is reversibly anchored to the pinned hanger 25R by disposing the hanger in an approximately horizontal plane and inserting the projecting tabs 34, 35, and the head 26 through the header opening 919 of sidewall 12. And, rotating the hanger to dispose the hanger in an approximately vertical plane. Then, partially pulling the hanger back through the header opening 919 that the hanger is disposed between sidewall 12 and sidewall 11 and the tabs are disposed on the opposite side of sidewall 12. It may be that the header opening 919 needs to be eased-stretched over the top corner adjacent shoulder 36. The storage bag 8E may now hang from the projecting tabs 34, 35. Then, the header 114 of sidewall 12 is folded across the holder entrance 622 (not shown) and punctured by the piercing end 625 (not shown) of piercing pin 623 so that the piercing end is securely received in the holder entrance 622. The storage bag 8E may now hang from the piercing pin 623 and from the projecting tabs 34, 35.
In another embodiment of the present invention, one-tab hanger shown as 25H in FIG. 4D, may be attached with the embodiment of the resealable storage bag 8D illustrated in FIG. 3D. The one-tab hanger 25H may embody the template hanger 25 so that any and all of the features of the template hanger 25 may be included in the one-tab hanger 25H.
To afford reversible attachment of the storage bag 8D to the one-tab hanger 25H, provision may be given to secure the one-tab hanger 25H to the storage bag 8D. In the illustrated embodiment best viewed in FIG. 4D, the arm 29 of the one-tab hanger 25H is integrally formed with a horizontally disposed pin holder that is a duplicate, in form and function of the horizontally disposed pin holder 621 of the pinned hanger 25R, and so is identically referenced. The one-tab hanger 25H has horizontally disposed pin holder 621 that has holder entrance 622, and that is sized to securely receive and hold piercing pin 623. The piercing pin 623 includes shaft 624 having piercing end 625 and pushing end 626. The piercing end 625 is shaped and sized to pierce the material that forms the header 114 of storage bag 8D. The pushing end 626 is shaped and sized to comfortably accept the user's finger or thumb that may push the piercing pin to puncture the header 114. The one-tab hanger 25H has tab 734 extending laterally from the arm 28. The tab 734 is sized to be tightly received in the through hole or void 819A of the storage bag 8D. The provision for securing the said hanger to the storage bag 8D may be given by the tab 734 being equal to or slightly larger than the through hole or void 819A of the storage bag 8D so that the said hole may tightly receive the said tab 734, and the provision may be given by the header 114 being foldable across the holder entrance 622 and being pinnable to the said hanger by the piercing end 625 of the piercing pin 623 puncturing the header 114 and being received in the pin holder 621. The provision for reversing the securing may be given by piercing pin being removable from the pin holder 621, and the header opening 819A being removable from the projecting tab 734. By virtue of the relationships and engagements among the tab 734, the through hole or void 819A, the holder entrance 622, the piercing end 625, the piercing pin 623, the pin holder 621, and the header 114, reversible attachment of the storage bag 8D to the one-tab hanger 25H may be afforded.
In use, as best viewed in FIG. 10, the storage bag 8 may be reversibly attached to the one-tab hanger 25H by inserting the tab 734 through the through hole or void 819A so that the storage bag 8D partially hangs from the tab 734. Then, the header 114 is folded across the holder entrance 622 and punctured by the piercing end 625 of piercing pin 623, so that the piercing end is securely received in the pin holder 621 and the storage bag 8D hangs from the piercing pin 623 and the tab 734.
In another embodiment of the present invention, 3-tab hanger illustrated at 25M in FIG. 4I, may be attached to a bag representative of the resealable storage bag 8F illustrated in FIG. 3F. The 3-tab hanger 25M may embody the tabbed hanger 25W (best viewed in FIG. 4C) so that any or all of the features of the tabbed hanger 25W may be included in 3-tab hanger 25M.
The 3-tab hanger 25M has downwardly extending stabilizing tab 721 a integrally formed with part of the lower end of the holding section 72 where the bottom edge of the stabilizing tab 721 a may align with the bottom edge of the arm 29. The stabilizing tab 721 a has vertical outside edge 721 c.
The stabilizing tab 721 a is integrally formed with outwardly projecting holder tab 621 a disposed on the vertical outside edge 721 c and having a vertical width dimension 621 b. The bottom edge of the holder tab 621 a is disposed above the bottom edge of stabilizing tab 721 a.
To afford reversible attachment of the storage bag 8F to the 3-tab hanger 25M, provision may be given to the 3-tab hanger 25M to secure to the storage bag 8E. In the illustrated embodiment best viewed in FIG. 4I, the 3-tab hanger 25M has the horizontal length dimension L17 spacing apart the shoulders 36 and 37. The dimension L17 is equal to or slightly less than the horizontal length dimension L903 spacing apart the horizontal extents of the header opening 919 (best viewed in FIG. 3F). The 3-tab hanger 25M has the horizontal length dimension L17 a spacing apart the vertical outside edge 721 c of the holder tab 621 a from the load-contact point P32. The dimension L17 a is equal to or slightly greater than the horizontal length dimension L904 spacing apart the vertical center lines 919 c, 919 d of the apertures 919A, 919B (best viewed in FIG. 3F) from the vertical center-line C10. The diameter dimension L903A is equal to or slightly smaller than the vertical width dimension 621 b. The provision to secure the 3-tab hanger 25M to the storage bag 8E may be given by the horizontal length dimension L17 being equal to or slightly greater than the horizontal length dimension L903 so that the header opening 919 may straddle and stretch across the hanger's shoulders 36, 37 and dispose the storage bag 8E to hang from the projecting tabs 34, 35 (best viewed in FIG. 9). The provision to secure the 3-tab hanger 25M to the storage bag 8E may be given by the horizontal length dimension L17 a being equal to or slightly greater than the horizontal length dimension L904 so that the area between the header opening 919 and the aperture 919B or 919A of the storage bag 8F may stretch between the shoulder 36 and the vertical edge 721 c of the 3-tab hanger 25M. The provision to secure the 3-tab hanger 25M to the storage bag 8E may be given by the diameter dimension L903A of aperture 919B and 919A being equal to or slightly smaller than the vertical width dimension 621 b of holder tab 621 a that the aperture may stretch around the tab. By virtue of the relationships and engagements among the horizontal length dimension L17, the projecting tabs 34, 35, the horizontal length dimension L903, the holder tab 621 a, aperture 919A, or 919B, and the resilience of the material of header 114, reversible attachment of the storage bag 8E to the pinned hanger 25R may be afforded.
In use, as best viewed in FIG. 9, the storage bag 8E is reversibly anchored to the 3-tab hanger 25M by disposing the hanger in an approximately horizontal plane and inserting the projecting tabs 34, 35, and the head 26 through the header opening 919 of sidewall 12.
Then, the holder tab 621 a is inserted through the aperture 919A or 919B that header 114 abuts vertical outside edge 721 c and the hanger is rotated to be disposed in an approximately vertical plane. Then, the hanger is partially withdrawn back through the header opening 919 that the hanger is disposed between sidewall 12 and sidewall 11 and the tabs are disposed on the opposite side of sidewall 12. It may be that the header opening 919 needs to be eased-stretched over the top corner adjacent shoulder 36. The storage bag 8E may now hang from the projecting tabs 34, 35 and the holder tab 621 a.
In another embodiment of the present invention, arrowhead-tab hanger illustrated at 25N in FIG. 4J, may be attached to a bag representative of the resealable storage bag 8E illustrated in FIG. 3E. The arrowhead-tab hanger 25N may embody the 3-tab hanger 25M (See FIG. 4I) so that any or all of the features of the 3-tab hanger 25M may be included in arrowhead-tab hanger 25N.
The outward edge of the holder tab 621 a is merged with arrowhead 880. Arrowhead 880 has arrowhead shoulder 882. The arrowhead 880 has aggressively convergent end 881 that may pierce the material constructing the header 114 of the storage bag 8 to provide a pierced aperture into which may be received the holder tab 621 a. The piercing arrowhead removes the need for an aperture such as aperture 919A or 919B to exist on the header 114 before attachment as may be the case when using the 3-tab hanger 25M.
The provision to secure the arrowhead-tab hanger 25N to the storage bag 8E may be given by the horizontal length dimension L17 being equal to or slightly greater than the horizontal length dimension L903 so that the header opening 919 may straddle and stretch across the said hanger's shoulders 36, 37 and dispose the storage bag 8E to hang from the projecting tabs 34, 35. (Best viewed in FIG. 9 where a similar attachment is shown for the pinned hanger 25R.)
The provision to provide for securing the arrowhead-tab hanger 25N to the storage bag 8 may be given by the convergent end 881 being able to pierce the header 114 to produce a pierced aperture into which the holder tab 621 a may be received and then held from being released by the arrowhead shoulder 882. By virtue of the relationships and engagements among the convergent end 881, the holder tab 621 a, the arrowhead shoulder 882 and the strength of the material of the header 114, attaching the storage bag 8 to the arrowhead-tab hanger 25N may be afforded.
In use, as best viewed in FIG. 9, the storage bag 8E is reversibly attached to the arrowhead-tab hanger 25N by disposing the hanger in an approximately horizontal plane and inserting the projecting tabs 34, 35, and the head 26 through the header opening 919 of sidewall 12. Then, the hanger is rotated to be disposed approximately vertical and parallel to the sidewall 12 of the bag, and is partially withdrawn back through the header opening 919 that the hanger is disposed between sidewall 12 and sidewall 11 and the tabs are disposed on the opposite side of sidewall 12 as is the head 26. It may be that the header opening 919 needs to be eased-stretched over the top corner adjacent shoulder 36. The storage bag 8E may now hang from the projecting tabs 34, 35. Continuing with reversible attachment, the hanger is disposed against the header 114 between the sidewalls 11 and 12, with one hand, so that the arms 28, 29 are disposed parallel to the closure device 16 and the head 26 projects above the header 114. The second hand, bends the portion of the header 114 adjacent the side edge 15 a minimum of 90 degrees around the convergent end 881. Suddenly forcefully the convergent end 881 is pulled into the header 114, or alternatively, the header 114 suddenly forcefully is pushed onto the convergent end 881 that the arrowhead 880 pierces the header 114 to form the pierced aperture 218. And then, pushing or pulling continues until the tab 34A is received in the pierced aperture 218.
The above attachment of the storage bag 8E to the arrowhead-tab hanger 25N may be reversed.
The provisions for attaching a valid hanger to a thin film resealable storage bag may be use to attach a valid hanger to other thin film containers or storage bags, or thin film sheets of material. The terms “storage bag” and “material” include but is not limited to paper, fabric, plastic, metal foil, and their composites.
The provisions for attaching a valid hanger to a thin film resealable storage bag disclosed above is by example only and not meant to be an exhaustive disclosure of all appropriate provisions of attachment.
The preferred and the alternative embodiments provided above illustrate several of the ways the present invention may be implemented. Some additional embodiments are contemplated that do not require changing the design or production of the template hanger 25, whereby the template hanger 25 may be installed and used with existing resealable bags. A molded or stamped template hanger 25 attached to a resealable bag by adhesion bonding or thermal welding are examples of embodiments that may not require structural modification of the resealable bag.
An valid hanger may be fabricated by various means including by injection molding, stamping, laser cutting, water jet cutting, routering. The clasp hanger 25P and the articulated hanger 25D may be best suited for injection molding. A valid hanger is formed to be light weight.
A valid hanger may be attached and supplied with the resealable storage bag, or sold separately to be attached by the user to a suitable resealable storage bag supplied by a third party, or spaced separate from the storage bag but made available in the same package.
In the above disclosure, as a rough guide moderate load is give as half a pound for a storage bag six inches wide.
Anyone skilled in the art will understand how to attach two valid hangers to the opposing upper ends of a resealable storage bag so that more weight may be stored in the same bag compared with having only one valid hanger. A non-resealable storage bag fabricated from film materials such as, for example, plastic, paper, foil, or fabric may be attached to a valid hanger or a pair of valid hangers and hung from the support rod 7. Where required by a particular valid hanger the non-resealable storage bag may need to be suitably prepared with apertures.
The preferred embodiment of the support rod 7 is shown at 823 in FIG. 25 for use with a pegboard or slatwall. The support rod 823 includes left, right corner rods 824, 825 support tube 829, and stoppers 836, 837.
Referring to FIG. 26, left, right corner rods 824, 825 have first ends 826, 827 that are formed to hook into pegboard 828 or slatwall (not shown), intermediate section 830, 831 bent left, right, and second ends 832, 833 that cooperate with each other to slide into left end 835, right end 834 of the tube 829 and suspend the tube 829 horizontal and parallel to the pegboard 828, respectively.
The provision to suspend the tube 829 may be given by the first ends 826, 827 of the corner rods 824, 825 being hooked into pegboard and the second ends 832, 833 being sleeved by the left end 835, the right end 834 of the tube 829, respectively. Referring to FIG. 25, in use, the second ends 832, 833 of the right corner rod 824, left corner rod 825 are sleeved by the left end 835, the right end 834 of the tube 829, and then the assembly has the first ends 826, 827 of the corner rods 824, 825 horizontally adjusted to hook into the pegboard 828, respectively.
Referring to FIG. 25, The packages 9 (not shown) are confined to be supported on the tube 829 by the stoppers 836, 837 being secured to the tube 829 to preventing packages 9 sliding past the ends of the tube 829. The stoppers 836, 837 may be stretched rubber or silicone tubing.
Referring to FIG. 26, in use, to assemble support rod 823 the stoppers 836, 837 are fitted over the left, right end 835, 834 of the tube 829. Then, the second ends 832, 833 of the corner rods 824, 825 are sleeved into the tube 829, respectively.
Once assembled the support rod 823 may be mounted onto a pegboard as a regular pegboard hook is mounted. For mounting onto a slatwall a retaining band 849 may be attached onto and disposed between the first ends 826, 827 to keep the corner rods 824, 825 from separating. Attachment may be by openings 849A, 849B on the retaining band 849 that accept all or part of the first ends 826, 827 and not interfere with their mounting.
Alternative embodiments of support rod 7 may be realized by substituting an appropriate form for the first ends 826, 827 to mate with different support mediums. Examples of support mediums that have mating forms that may substitute for the first ends 826, 827 and known to the art are, gridwall, slatwall, slotted standard, and vertical slot standard. The standards are commonly used to support wire or board shelving.

Claims

1. A hanger for supporting a resealable bag that enables individual resealable bags to be installed on or removed from a support rod without requiring sequential installation or removal of other bags supported on the rod, the hanger comprising:

a. a hanger body comprising a hook dimensioned to receive the support rod and provisions for attaching the bag to the hanger body, and;

b. a handle projecting horizontally from the hook and above the provisions for attachment.

2. A hanger according to claim 1 wherein the hook is configured to be rotatable about the vertical axis when engaged with a support rod.

3. A hanger according to claim 1 comprising label section projecting from the handle section.

4. A hanger according to claim 1 wherein the provisions for attaching the bag to the hanger body comprise members that may engage with one or more apertures in the bag.

5. A hanger according to claim 1 wherein the provisions for attaching the bag to the hanger body comprise members capable of forming and engaging with one or more apertures in the bag.