Abstract:
An expandable insert to be used in flexible storage bags, and particularly to expand the flexible storage bag in such a manner as to hold the mouth of the bag open as well as provide a stable base so the bag is free-standing and self supporting to provide for hands-free filling of the bag with food or other materials by a user.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to an expansion insert to be used in flexible storage bags, and particularly to expand the flexible storage bag in such a manner as to hold the mouth of the bag open as well as provide a stable base so the bag is free-standing and self supporting to provide for hands-free filling of the bag with food or other materials by a user. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Storage bags of paper, plastic or other flexible materials are often used to store and carry prepared foods, processed foods, household items, retail items or other materials. For some items such as sauce covered leftovers, cereal or crunchy pet food it is time consuming and messy to scoop and maneuver the items into a flexible storage bag. This is because such flexible storage bags are so supple that they are not self supporting and cannot stand on their own nor remain open. The storage bag or supple plastic for example has no rigid support structure to separate the sides of the bag and hold the bag upright and open to allow for easy filling of the bag without using one&#39;s hands. It is also not economically nor practicably feasible to manufacture such storage bags with a support structure which would take away from the utility of the bag to compress and surround the stored items thereby reducing and removing air from the bag to protect a food item and reduce the space necessary to store the filled bag. Accordingly, what is needed is a low cost, easy to clean, removable structure that may be inserted in the storage bag to maintain the bag in a temporary upright, self-supporting and open position for filling of the bag. The insert structure may then be easily removed to allow for compression of the bag around the stored items. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    According to the teachings of the present invention, a storage bag expansion insert is provided fabricated from a flexible and bendable, but yet rigid material. The expansion insert is generally a planar sheet material provided with apertures to facilitate bending of the insert along desired axes as well as apertures to hold, grip and even store the insert on a hook or hanger. The disclosed apparatus is formed of a flexible sheet plastic that while bendable and foldable along its width and length, has an elasticity which urges the device generally to retain its planar form when folding pressure is released from the device. When the device is folded around an axis the insert has an elasticity that pushes each side of the sheet apart about that axis. An aperture, knob or ridge is provided to align and grip the two ends of the plastic sheet together as the sheet bends around an axis. This facilitates insertion for the sheet to be slid into an empty flexible storage bag. By releasing the ends of the sheet in the bag, the elasticity of the sheet naturally separates the two sides of the insert pushing out on the sides of the flexible bag and providing for the rigidity of the insert across its width to hold the bag in an open and upright position. 
         [0004]    The storage bag may then be filled. Also one or more apertures, nubs or ridges may be situated on either side of the insert and would provide for easy gripping to grasp the insert and draw it up and out of the filled storage bag. The insert is made of a non-toxic, washable material which may then be washed in a sink or dishwasher to remove food material providing for the insert to be reused. Upon removal of the insert the elasticity would allow the sheet to expand and essentially lay flat for hanging and/or storage. The insert may be of a composite or homogenous plastic that would be sufficiently heat resistant to prevent deformation when washing and also maintain its elasticity. 
         [0005]    Depending upon the elastic characteristics, the insert may have a perforated or predefined axis for repeatable bending along that axis thereby defining the length of each side to match the dimensions of the storage bag. For example, although other sizes are certainly possible, the insert dimension may be in a range of about from 4″ to 12″ in height and 6″ to 20″ in length and bend about an axis 3″ to 10″ defined approximately in the middle of the length of the insert. When appropriately bent the insert would have respective side lengths of approximately 3″ to 10″ to fit in and press out upon the similarly dimensioned, generally slightly larger dimensioned sides of a flexible storage bag. Upon removal from the storage bag, the elasticity of the insert will allow the insert to essentially expand back into its planar state and separate, but because of the previous bend or fold, the insert may not lay completely flat and planar. 
         [0006]    In a preferred embodiment the insert may have no defined fold, and instead may only bend or fold along any portion of the insert determined by the user&#39;s arrangement and manipulation of the planar insert into the storage bag. Without a defined fold, the sheet of preferably 4″ to 8″ in height and 8″ to 16″ in length, the axis of the fold may be adjusted to accommodate the dimensions of the storage bag with the elasticity of the insert providing the expansion of the insert to hold bags of various dimensions in an upright and open position. The flexibility of the insert allows the gripping and holding of the two sides of the insert together along an arbitrary fold axis with minimal force and no additional force is required to flatten and press the two sides of the sheet together, since the insert must only be folded a sufficient amount to place the insert inside the storage bag and then release the insert. The fold of the insert will appear rounded and then upon removal from the bag and release, the insert will expand or un-flex and lay completely flat for storage. An important aspect of the present invention is that the insert may be smaller or larger in dimension to the storage bag but still provide the rigidity when inserted in the bag to maintain the bag in an open, self-supporting and upright position. 
         [0007]    It is an object of the present invention to provide an insert that maintains a flexible storage bag in an upright and open position. 
         [0008]    It is another object of the invention that minimal force is exerted to hold the insert in a folded position for insertion in a flexible storage bag. 
         [0009]    It is another object of the invention that access points for gripping or pulling of the insert are provided to hold, insert and remove the insert from the flexible storage bag. 
         [0010]    It is another object of the present that the insert be reusable and is made of a washable material. 
         [0011]    It is a further object of the present invention that the insert be usable with storage bags of various dimensions and materials. 
         [0012]    The invention is further directed to an expandable insert for a flexible storage container comprising a substantially planar sheet of flexible material having a front face and a back face defined by a pair of opposing end edges and a pair of opposing side edges; a plurality of at least one of perforations, apertures and indentations formed in the front and back faces of the planar sheet and positioned adjacent each opposing end edges of the planar sheet; and wherein the expandable insert has a first state defined by the planar sheet being in an unbiased and substantially planar arrangement, and a second state defined by a bend being placed in the planar sheet to form opposing and biased leg portions of the insert biased on either side of the bend in the planar sheet. 
         [0013]    The present invention is also directed to a method of supporting a flexible storage container using an expandable insert comprising the steps of forming a substantially planar sheet of flexible material having a front face and a back face defined by a pair of opposing end edges and a pair of opposing side edges; providing a plurality of at least one of perforations, apertures and indentations formed in the front and back faces of the planar sheet and positioned adjacent each opposing end edges of the planar sheet; and defining a first state wherein the planar sheet is in an unbiased and substantially planar arrangement and defining a second state by placing a bend in the planar sheet to form opposing and biased leg portions of the insert biased on either side of the bend in the planar sheet. 
         [0014]    These aspects of the invention are not meant to be exclusive and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art when read in conjunction with the appended claims and accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]    These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood by reading the following detailed description, taken together with the drawings wherein: 
           [0016]      FIG. 1  is a diagrammatic view of a first embodiment of the insert; 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  is a diagrammatic view of a first embodiment of the insert in a folded position with a flexible storage bag; 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  is a diagrammatic view of a first embodiment of the insert aligned with and being inserted in the storage bag; 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  is a diagrammatic view of a first embodiment of the insert within the storage bag and holding the bag in an upright open position being filled with items of material; 
           [0020]      FIG. 5  is a diagrammatic view of a first embodiment of the insert extracted from the filled the storage bag; 
           [0021]      FIG. 6  is a diagrammatic view of a first embodiment of the insert ready to be washed and stored; 
           [0022]      FIGS. 7 and 7A  is a diagrammatic view of a first embodiment of the insert showing the fill area; 
           [0023]      FIGS. 8 and 8A  is a diagrammatic view of a further embodiment of the insert showing two folds and the fill area; 
           [0024]      FIG. 9  is a diagrammatic view of a preferred embodiment of the insert; 
           [0025]      FIG. 10  is a diagrammatic view of a preferred embodiment of the insert in a folded position with a flexible storage bag; 
           [0026]      FIG. 11  is a diagrammatic view of a preferred embodiment of the insert aligned with and being inserted in the storage bag; 
           [0027]      FIG. 12  is a diagrammatic view of a preferred embodiment of the insert within the storage bag and holding the bag in an upright open position being filled with items of material; 
           [0028]      FIG. 13  is a diagrammatic view of a preferred embodiment of the insert extracted from the filled the storage bag; 
           [0029]      FIG. 14  is a diagrammatic view of a preferred embodiment of the insert ready to be washed and stored; 
           [0030]      FIGS. 15 and 15A  is a diagrammatic view of a first embodiment of the insert showing the fill area; 
           [0031]      FIGS. 16 and 16A  is a diagrammatic view of a preferred embodiment of the insert showing the fill area. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0032]    A first embodiment of the insert  10  for flexible storage bags is shown in  FIG. 1 . In this embodiment a defined or perforated fold  12  is formed in the sheet material approximately in the middle of the insert forming a center axis A extending between a first side edge  14  and second side edge  16  of the insert  10 . End apertures  18  are formed at or adjacent the opposing end edges  20 ,  22  of the insert to provide a gripable portion of the insert and also side edge apertures  28  may be formed along the axis A to facilitate a user folding the insert along the axis A to match the first and second end edges  20 ,  22  and thus prepare the insert  10  for insertion in a storage bag  26  as shown in  FIG. 2 . It is to be appreciated that the end apertures  18  could also be nubs, perforations, raised or indented and contoured material that makes the insert easier to manually handle. 
         [0033]    In use, the insert is initially in a naturally planar form and a user folds or bends the insert  10  about the axis A so that the insert is essentially folded in half, with each opposing half of the insert essentially defining a leg  13 ,  15  of the insert  10 . The natural resiliency of the insert material gives the legs  13 ,  15  of the folded or bent insert a natural tendency to want to lay flat again, so the legs are provided with an outward bias when bent or folded. A user may grip the now folded insert  10  by the end apertures  18  with one hand, and the flexible bag  26  can be held open with the user&#39;s other hand and the insert  10  is slid or placed through the opening O of the storage bag  26  as shown in  FIG. 3 . The insert  10  is placed in the bag so the lowermost side edge, either  14  or  16 , extends towards the bottom of the bag. When the user releases the ends  20 ,  22  of the insert, the natural resilience of the legs  13 ,  15  want to return the insert to its generally planar condition, which causes the legs  13 ,  15  to push outward on the sides of the bag  26  to widen the bag and opening O. This outward expansion of the legs also forms a stable base for the supported bag  26  due to the lowermost side edge  14 ,  16  of the insert forming a substantially planar surface are along the bottom portion of the storage bag  26 . 
         [0034]    The width of the insert  10  between the side edges  14 ,  16  may be about the same height as the bag, but could be shorter than the bag or even taller than the sidewalls of the bag and still provide the rigidity to force the bag  26  into an open position for filling of items of material  32 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . Generally the legs  13 ,  15  of the insert  10  will be shorter than the width of the storage bag so that the insert can be inserted easily into the bag without overlapping the free ends of the legs  20 ,  22 . This allows the free ends of the legs  13 ,  15  to push out on the sidewalls of the bag opening the bag as widely as possible. 
         [0035]    With the storage bag  26  now supported and free standing with opening O biased open by the inherent natural bias of the legs  13 ,  15  material or items  32  to be stored in the bag  26  may be poured, dropped, slid or otherwise deposited into the bag  26  and over and past the insert  10  to fill the bag  26 . The insert provides a smooth surface on both legs  13 , to direct the flow of items  32  into the bag  26  rapidly and without mess. 
         [0036]    The storage bag  26  may be of any flexible material such as paper, plastic or other composites, with the insert  10  working equally as well for bags both that have a partial base such as a paper bag, or plastic storage bags which have no integral base where a single linear seam defines the bottom of the storage bag  26  as defined by the two opposing sidewalls of the bag such as a plastic sandwich bag or freezer bag. The insert  10  provides a rigid wall within the bag  26  to facilitate support of the bag  26  and capture of the items or material  32  deposited into the bag. 
         [0037]    After filling the insert  10  may be manually retracted using the side edge apertures  28  or perforations along the middle of the insert, generally along the axis A. A user may grip the side edge apertures  28  adjacent the uppermost side edge  14 ,  16  so the insert may be pulled out of the bag  26 . With side edge apertures located adjacent both side edges,  14 ,  16  the insert  10  may be inserted into the bag  26  in either direction and an access point to grip the bag  26  is always provided. The insert  10  is removed from the bag  26  as shown in  FIG. 5  and then is ready for cleaning of stains  34  and storage as shown in  FIG. 6 . 
         [0038]    In this first embodiment, the perforated fold  12 , also often referred to as a living hinge, allows very little force to be used to fold the insert  10 , however with a single fold in one position on the insert  10 , the dimensions of the insert remain substantially constant and the area w between each of the side inserts  14 ,  16  is somewhat limited for filling of material as shown in  FIGS. 7 and 7A . In a further embodiment one or more additional folds  36  may be added to the insert  10  to add an end  24  and create a larger filling area w as shown in  FIGS. 8 and 8A . The ridges  38  of the further embodiment may also be in various shapes or be simply cutouts in the insert  10  that allow a finger or thumb to be placed in the hole to fold and maneuver the insert  10 . Either of these embodiments would accommodate many various dimensions and material storage bags  26  and additional folds  36  with a securing mechanism such as a rubber band could secure the insert  10  in a folded position for storage, reducing storage space. 
         [0039]    In a further embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 9  the insert  40  is made of flexible yet rigid sheet of planar material, for example plastic although other materials could be used as well. The insert  40  has no defined folds or seams to specifically define an axis to bend or fold the insert  40  however the use of the insert is substantially the same as that above, to bend the insert  40  in such a manner as to fit the insert  40  into the flexible plastic bag. 
         [0040]    The insert  40  is fabricated to have a generally planar structural arrangement or form as shown. The insert  40  is fabricated from a material having the proper elasticity to be flexed and bent in two dimensions, while remaining substantially stiff in a third dimension, but yet also return to its generally planar form as shown in  FIG. 9  when removed from the flexible bag. An aperture  42  is provided adjacent each end edge  41 ,  43  of the insert to facilitate manual bending and handling of the insert  40 . For example, a user may use one hand to hold the end edges  41 ,  43  of the insert together by each of essentially matching apertures  42 , so that the insert is bent as shown in  FIGS. 10-11  and can be inserted in a flexible storage bag  26  as shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11 . Smooth surfaces  45  on the opposing faces  47 ,  48  of the insert  40  allow the insert  40  to be easily slid into the flexible bag  26 . 
         [0041]    Also formed in this embodiment are a pair of opposing side apertures  50  formed along the side edges  44 ,  46  of the insert  40 , for example as shown here approximately midway along the length of the insert  40 . In use, the insert  40  is initially in a naturally planar form and a user bends the insert  40  so that the insert is essentially folded in half, with each opposing half of the insert essentially defining a leg  47 ,  48  of the insert  40 . It is to be appreciated that the fold does not have to occur in the middle portion but could occur anywhere along the length of the insert  40 . Also, the opposing side apertures  50  which are essentially missing material at about the midpoint of the insert  40  can facilitate the bending of the insert  40 . 
         [0042]    The natural resiliency of the insert material gives the legs  47 ,  48  of the folded or bent insert  40  a natural tendency to want to lay flat again, so the legs  47 ,  48  are provided with an outward bias when bent or folded. A user may grip the now folded insert  10  by the end apertures  42  with one hand, and the flexible bag  26  can be held open with the user&#39;s other hand and the insert  40  is slid or placed through the opening O of the storage bag  26  as shown in  FIG. 11 . The insert  40  is placed in the bag so the lowermost side edge, either  44  or  46 , extends towards the bottom of the bag. When the user releases the ends  41 ,  43  of the insert, the natural resilience of the legs  47 ,  48  wants to return the insert  40  to its generally planar condition, which causes the legs  47 ,  48  to push outward on the sides of the bag  26  to widen the bag and opening O. This outward expansion of the legs also forms a stable base for the supported bag  26  due to the lowermost side edge  44  or  46  of the of the leg portions of the insert  40  forming a substantially planar surface along the bottom portion of the storage bag  26 . 
         [0043]    The insert  40  is provided with rounded corners  49  that also assist in sliding the insert in to bag and assisting in preventing punctures of the flexible storage bag material. The insert  40  straightens the edges  30  of the storage bag supporting the bag to stand upright and opened. The storage bag  26  may then be filled with the legs  47 ,  48  providing a rigid walled area for the items  32  of material to be poured, scoop, dropped or placed into the bag  26 . The gripping holes  50  on each side of the insert  40  allow for the insert to be slid into the bag in either direction with a gripping hole still accessible for removal of the insert  40  from the storage bag  26 . As shown in  FIGS. 13 and 14  after removal the insert is ready to be cleaned of stains  34  and stored by laying the insert completely flat. 
         [0044]    The removal of folds from the preferred embodiment reduces costs in manufacturing and provides for an even greater filling area w as shown in  FIGS. 16 and 16A  as compared to the filling area w of the first embodiment as shown in  FIGS. 15 and 15A . The inserts  40  of the preferred embodiment may be made in different dimensions for example a height in the range of about 4″ to 16″ and a length of 6″ to 20″ to accommodate small and large storage bags  26  of various dimensions and materials. The preferred insert  40  may also be of a suitable material to be heat resistant to deformation, so that the insert  40  may be hand washed or placed in a dishwasher for cleaning. 
         [0045]    The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention.