US2868435A - Container and closure for the same - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 13, 1959 w. FISCHER 2,868,435

CONTAINER AND cLosURE FOR THE SAME Filed Feb. 14, 1955 CONTAINER AND CLOSURE FOR SAME Walter Fischer, Wildegg, Switzerland, assignor to Getreideliocken A. G., Lenzburg, Switzerland Application February 14, 1955, Serial No. 487,919 j 3 Claims. (el. 229-66) The present invention` relates to a container and a closure for thesame and more particularly to a container provided with a rip closure. t

One object of the present invention is to provide a container with a closure which can be opened very rapidly and easily.

t United States Patent() `It is a further object `of the present invention to provide a container with a closure which can be opened easily along a straight line Without the danger of damaging an other part of the container.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a container closure `which can be easily and cheaply joined with the container to close the same securely.

With the above objects in view, the present invention mainly consistsof a container comprising, in combination, a bag having an `edge portion defining an opening through which material Will be inserted into and removed from the bag, the opening substantially closed when elongated opposed parts of the edge portion are located with their inner faces adjacent to each other, an elongated flexible closure strip of sheet material longer than the elongated opposed parts, having opposed side edges, and being folded along a fold line located substantially` midway ybetween the side edges to provide the strip with overlapping sides joined` at thejfold line, the strip straddling the edge portion of the bag with the sides overlapping and joined to the `outer faces of the opposed parts, respectively having the Lfold line thereof spaced from and extending along the edge portion of the bag, and having opposed free end portions each of which extends `beyond the bag, each of which is composed of a pair of joined end portions of the sides, and each of Vwhich is folded back upon the remainder of the strip, and an elongated, easily bendable, permanently deformable member having a length approximately equal to that of the strip, located between the sides thereof and between the fold line and the edge portion of the bag, and having end portions bent together with the free end portions of the strip and maintaining the latter folded, whereby the thus closed bag may be opened by tearing the member from the strip.

The novel features which are considered as characteristie for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction andjits method of operation, together with additional` objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a partial front view of the container with the closure in finished position;

Fig. 2 is a partial'front view of the container with the closure in ,an intermediate position; and

Fig. 3 is a sectioned isometric view of a container portion, the section being taken along the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawing and more particularly to Fig. 3 of the same, it will be seen that the two opposed parts 1 of a bag have top edges 2 which define between themselves the bag opening. This opening is closed by a closure strip 3. This strip consists of an elongated strip of sheet material which is folded along a folding line 4, midway between the side edges of the strip, thus forming two overlapping sides or flaps joined at the fold line. When the bag is to be closed the two opposing parts 1 of the same are adjacent each other, as shown in Fig. 3, and the two sides yor aps of the folded strip are joined to the Vtop end portion of the bag in any convenient manner to seal the bag opening. The folding strip 3 is longer than the top opening of the bag and joined to the same in such a way that two approximately equal end portions 3 and 3" extend beyond the two sides -of the bag as clearly shown in Fig. 2. 'Ihe two flaps of each of the end portions 3 and 3 of the closure strip are joined to each other to close the ends of the strip in thelongitudinal direction of the same.

As `can be seen from Fig. 3, the two flaps of the closure strip 3 are joined to the opposing parts of the bag l in such a way that the innerfold of the strip is spaced from l member 5 has approximately the same length as the closure strip 3 and the two ends 5 and 5 of this member extend therefore in the same way as the closure strip beyond the two sides of the bag, as can be clearly seen in Fig. 2 and are held between the joined ends of the strip.

lt is also possible to join a closure strip including a member 5 only by one of its flaps to one of the side parts 1 of the bag. This container may then be lled and after` wards permanently sealed by joining the other flap to the bag. Or the closure strip, made as described above and having a member 5 held between the joined strip ends, may be manufactured alone for subsequent sealing to a` bag.

After the bag is sealed by the folding strip 3, whereby the strip and the member S are joined with the bag in the position shown in Fig. 2, the free ends 3 and 3 of the strips together with the free ends 5 and 5 of the member inserted between the closure strip and the top edge of the bag are folded back upon the remainder of the strip to the position illustrated in Fig. l. The . free ends 5 and 5" of the member 5 are permanently deformed during the folding and thus hold the bent over portions 3 and 3" of the strip in the folded position. The remaining unbent portion of the member 5 reinforces the top edge of the container.

To open the bag one or both of the free ends of the closure strip are bent from thejposition shown in Fig. l to the position shown in Fig. 2, andthe material of the closure strip extending beyond the bag is torn off to expose one of the free ends of the member S. This free end is then grasped and the member S ripped from the container, thereby` ripping the closure strip 3 along a sharp line along the` fold 4 without damaging the remainder of the bag. A

The bag and the closure strip are preferably, but not necessarily, made from the same material and any exible sheet material which can be ripped relatively easily can be used, as for instance paper, thin plastic: sheets, or thin woven material. The bag and closure strip can be joined to each other by cementing with any adhesive, by heat sealing or by sewing.

The container is especially adapted for packaging of material which 'is used in portions and which is poured from the container, as the top edges of the container remain undamaged during the opening process and the bag contents can therefore be poured very easily from the bag. i

The joining-of closure strip and bag is preferably carried-out automatically in a machine-and ythe closureidescribed is especially adapted yfor such an automatic sealing process.

-It will' be understood that-each of the elementsdescribed above, yor two or -more together, may also find -a useful application in Iother Atypes of containers -and closure for the same differing fromthe types described above.

While the invention has been'illustrated.and-described as vembodied in containers "and closure for the same, it is not intended `to -be limited to Lthe details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit -of the present invention. l

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist ofthe present invention that others can by applying current knowledge -readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations rshould and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be vsecured by Letters Patent is:

1. A sealed container containing a material-comprising, in combination, a bag having anedge portion defining an opening through which said material may be yremoved from said bag, said opening being substantially closed when elongated opposed parts -of said edge portion are located with their inner faces adjacent to each other; an elongated exible closure vstripof sheet material longer than said elongated "opposed parts and of substantially equal width throughout its length, having opposed side edges, and being folded along a fold line located substantially midway between said side edges to provide said strip with overlapping continuous uninterrupted sides joined at said fold line, said strip straddling said edge portion of said bag with said sides overlapping and adhesively joined to the outer faces of said opposed parts, respectively, having the fold line thereof spaced from and extending along said edge portion of said bag, and having opposed free end portions each of which extends beyond the bag, each of which is composed of a pair of joined end portions of said sides, and each 4of which is folded back upon the remainder of said'strip; and a single elongated rib means made from bendable, permanently deformable and shape-retaining material, located -between said sides of said closure strip and between said fold line and said edge portion of said bag, and having approximately the same length as said closure strip for reinforcing the same and holding the'bent over portions of the same in the bent position and for ripping said-strip along said fold line to open the container.

2. A sealed container containing a material comprising, in combination, a bag having an edge lportion defining an opening through which said material'may be removed from said bag, said opening being substantially closed when `elongated yopposed parts of said edge portion are located with their inner faces adjacent to each other; an elongated flexible closure strip of sheet material longer than said elongated opposed parts and of substantially equal width throughout its length, having opposed side edges, and being folded along afold line located substantially midway between said side edges to provide said strip with overlapping continuous uninterrupted sides joined at said fold line, said strip straddling said edge portion of said bag with said sides overlapping and joined to the outer faces of said opposed parts, respectively, having the fold line thereof spacedrfrom and extending along said edge portion of said bag, and havingopposedfree end portions each of which extends beyond the bag, each of which is composed of afpair of joined end portions of said sides, andeach of which is folded back upon the remainder of said strip; afpermanently deformable and shape-retaining rip wire having a length approximately equal to that of said strip, located between said sides thereof and between said fold line and said edge portion of said bag, and having end portions bent together with said free end portions of said strip and maintaining the latter folded, whereby kthe thus closed bag may Lbe1opened :adhesivelyv-by tearing said ripwire from said strip. h 3. A sealed container containingra material comprising, 1n combination, a bag having an edgeportion defining an opening through which said material ,may be removed,

from said bag, said opening being substantially closed when elongated opposed parts of saidedge portion are located with their 'inner lfaces adjacent to each other; an elongated flexible closure strip of sheet material longer than said elongated opposed parts yand of substantially equal width throughout .its length, having opposed side edges, and being folded along 1a fold line located substantiallyniidway between saidside edges to provide said strip with overlapping continuous ,uninterrupted sides joined at said fold line, said strip straddling said edge portion of said bag with said sides Aoverlapping and adhesively attached to the outer facesof said opposed parts, respectively, having the fold line thereof spaced from and extending along said edge portion of said bag, and having opposed free end portions each of which extends beyond the bag, each of which is composed of a pair of end portions of said sides adhesively attached to each other respectively, and each of whichiis foldedbackfupon the remainder of said strip; a permanently deformable and shape-retaining rip wire having a length approximately equal'to that of said strip, located between said sides thereof and between said fold line and said edge portion of said bag, and having-end portions benttogether wtih said free end portions of said ystrip and maintaining the latter folded, whereby the thus closed bag may Abe opened adhesively by tearing said rip wire from said strip.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,093,979 Farmer Sept. 21, 1937 2,198,119 Krengel Apr. 23, 1940 2,210,859 Schafer Aug. 6, 1940 2,321,066 Dense et al. June 8, 1943 2,343,571 Nicolas Mar. 7, 1944 2,527,074 Port Oct. 24, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 5,915 Great Britain 1905 273.413 Switzerland May 1, 1951

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