Abstract:
A flexible bag and attachment mechanism is provided that may be used in a variety of applications where it is desirable to attach a flexible bag to a device or machine. Some examples of such device may include an insect trap, a grinder, volumetric or weight based filler and liquid dispenser, food or perishable storage, etc. According to one embodiment, the bag portion of the device is disposable and the attachment device is reusable. In one variation a tapered neck is attached to the opening of the bag. The tapered neck connects within a tapered collar of the device by way of a press fitting. The neck is flexible so that it can be deformed to a shape that permits it to enter into the collar, and is resilient so that it can return to its original tapered ring configuration to engage the tapered inner circumference of the collar. The bag may be attached to a dispenser for dispensing material. The dispenser may be in part, a grinder or mixer. The dispenser may be a water or liquid dispenser for filling water bags for transport in a backpack. The bag may be used to contain attractants for an insect trap and/or may be used to contain captured insects.

Description:
RELATIONSHIP TO COPENDING APPLICATIONS 
   This application is a Divisional application of Ser. No. 10/142,117, filed May 8, 2002 now abandoned, which claims priority from the Provisional application Ser. No. 60/291,146, filed May 15, 2001. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention concerns a flexible bag and attachment device that may be used in a variety of applications where it is desirable to attach a flexible bag to a device or machine, one particular application being in an insect trap. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   A number of outdoor insect traps have been used for capturing flies, yellow jackets etc, around homes, parks and other places, particularly where people are expected to be. Permanent or reusable traps that are typically made of a hard plastic have been used for these purposes. In these traps an attractant is placed in a trap designed to capture insects that enter into the trap. In order to reuse these traps as intended, they must be emptied. In certain circumstances, when emptying, live insects may escape and in the case of yellow jackets, may present a hazard. Use of these traps as disposable traps would be relatively expensive and require the entire trap to be discarded after a single use. A disposable trap has been proposed where a bag is permanently affixed to the trap. This trap however, requires disposal of the entire trap once it is used. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an economical trap comprising a disposable and/or replaceable tapered bag attachment. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention provides a flexible bag and attachment mechanism that may be used in a variety of applications where it is desirable to attach a flexible bag to a device or machine. Some examples of such device may include an insect trap, a grinder, volumetric or weight based filler and liquid dispenser, food or perishable storage, etc. According to one embodiment, the bag portion of the device is disposable and the attachment device is reusable. 
   In one embodiment, the bag comprises a flexible material suitable for bags such as, e.g., paper or polypropylene. The material for the bag may be selected depending on its intended use. The bag has a narrow opening about which a neck member is attached to form a rim to maintain the opening in the bag. The neck member is constructed of a material having sufficient stiffness to retain it shape and sufficient flexibility to permit the neck to be deformed for insertion into a connector for connecting the bag to a device or cover. The neck member is tapered from its outside edge towards the bag. The neck is configured to connect to a device or cover having ring or collar with a tapered inner circumference or wall. To connect the bag with a device, the neck is resiliently deformed so that it may be placed through the tapered collar of the device or cover. The neck is then released allowing it to return to its normal shape. The device and the bag (and thus the neck member) are then pulled in a direction apart from each other so that the tapered neck engages the inner wall of the collar in a press fit coupling. 
   In one embodiment, the bag and attachment device are used as an insect trap. In this embodiment, an attractant or lure may be placed in the bag, attachment device or trap device, and a trap device is connected to the bag. The device to which the bag is attached provides entrance through which the insects may enter into the trap. An opening provided between the bag and the device provides fluid communication between the bag and device. This is useful where an attractant is placed in the bag; the attractant is in communication with the device so that the insects lured into the entrance in the device are collected in the bag. 
   The bag may be removed, refilled and reused by pushing the neck into the device and unlocking the taper, and then by folding or deforming the neck so that it fits back through the ring of the device. The bag may also be tied off, discarded and replaced by another bag. 
   In one variation, the bag may be attached to a dispenser for dispensing material. The dispenser may be in part, a grinder or mixer. The dispenser may be a water or liquid dispenser for filling water bags for transport in a backpack. 

   
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a side view of an assembled bag and attachment device according to an embodiment of the invention in which the bag and attachment device form an insect trap. 
       FIG. 2  is a side view of the bag with an attached neck according to the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  is an exploded section view of the attachment device according to the embodiment of  FIG. 1  in which the attachment device includes a neck for attaching to a bag and a trap device to releasably couple to bag by the neck. 
       FIG. 4  is a top view of the neck according to the embodiment of  FIG. 1   
       FIG. 5  is a side view of the trap device to the embodiment of  FIG. 1  with the cap in an open position. 
       FIG. 6  is a section of the collar of the trap device of  FIG. 5 . 
       FIG. 7  is a side view of the trap device according to the embodiment of  FIG. 1  with the cap and vanes in a closed position. 
       FIG. 8  is a side view of a second embodiment of the invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1–7  a bag  20  and trap device  50  (including an attachment device) of a first embodiment according to the invention is illustrated in which the bag  20  and trap device  50  form an insect trap  10 . The bag  20  has a wider, closed bottom portion  21  for holding a solid or fluid substance, and/or for holding insects captured in the trap. The bag  20  further has a narrow neck region  22  with a neck opening  23 . In one embodiment, the bag is manufactured of a thin polyethylene material that is capable of containing a liquid or solid material. However, the bag  20  may be constructed of any flexible material suitable for the intended use of the bag, including, e.g., paper, polymer material, etc. A neck member  30  is coupled around the opening  23  of the bag  20  to provide structural support for the opening  23  and to connect with the device  50 . The neck  30  is conically tapered for engaging an attachment device in a press fit engagement. The neck member  30  is formed of a material that is sufficiently rigid to maintain the shape of the opening  23  and sufficiently flexible and resilient to permit deformation and resiliently return to its original shape. The neck member in one embodiment is about 0.015″ thick and made of either high-density polyethylene or polypropylene. The neck member  30  illustrated in  FIG. 2 , is attached to the bag  20  around the inner circumference of the bag opening  23  by thermal bonding in the area  31  of the neck member  30 . The top of the bag can also be simply folded over the neck member to couple the bag and neck member without a permanent physical attachment of the bag to the neck member. It is also possible the bag may be formed with a neck member of a suitable thickness as an integral part of the bag. 
     FIGS. 1–7  illustrate an embodiment of an attachment device that attaches to a bag according to the invention. A trap device  50  and an attached bag  20  form an insect trap  10  as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . The device  50  comprises a main body  51 , a funnel body  60 , a vane member  65  and a cap  66  that are assembled together by snap fit members or the like. The main body  51  has an upper end  52  coupled to the funnel body  60 , and an attachment collar  55  having a lower opening  54  formed by a conically tapered side wall  53  for connecting to the neck  30  of the bag  20 . The funnel body  60  comprises a vented funnel  61  providing a top opening  62  in the funnel body  60  that opens into conduit  64  through which insects may enter into the device  50 . When assembled with the main body  51 , the funnel  61  extends down past the location of the funnel body  60 /main body  51  junction and exits at a funnel opening  61   b  into the main body  51  of the trap device  50 . The vents  61   a  in the funnel  61  allow the odor or attractant to permeate through the funnel  61  and out the opening  62  to lure the insects through the funnel  61  and into the main body  51 . The trap device  50  further comprises a vane member  65  having sliding vanes  65   a . The vane member  65  is slidably coupled to funnel body  60 . The cap  66  is snapped on to the top of the vane member  65 , the cap  66  and vane member having an open position ( FIG. 5 ) and an closed position ( FIG. 7 ) wherein in the open position, the cap  66  uncovers the opening  62  in the funnel body  60 , and, wherein in the closed position the cap  66  covers the top opening  62  and the trap device  50  is in a compact configuration for storage. The sliding vanes  65   a  extend through slits  63  in the vented funnel  61  that slidably guide the sliding vanes  65  through the slits  63  so that the cap  66  and vane member  65  may be moved between the open and closed positions. The sliding vanes  65   a  have notches  67  that engage protrusions  60   b  in the underside  60   a  of the funnel body  60  to lock the cap  66  and vanes  65  in an open position when the cap  66  is pulled up and the vanes  65  are pulled up through the slits  63 . The notches  67  may be disengaged from the protrusions  60   b  by gently pressing down on the cap  66  so that the cap  66  and vanes  65  may be closed. When the cap  66  and vanes  65  are in an open position, the top opening  62  provides an entrance for insects into the vented funnel  61 , which opens into the inside of the main body  51 . 
   The neck  30  attached to the bag  20  is tapered engage to the tapered inner circumference of the attachment collar  55  of the main body  51 . To attach the bag  20  to the device  50 , the neck  30  with the bag  20  attached, is collapsed with the thumb and inserted into the bottom of the collar  55 . The resilient neck  30  is then released and allowed to return to its natural round shape. Pulling the bag down gently seats the neck  30  snuggly into the collar  55 . In this embodiment, the neck  30  should protrude below the collar  55  approximately ½ inch ( FIG. 1 ). The neck  30  engages the tapered inner circumference of collar  55  to couple the device  50  and bag  20  where the openings  23  and lower opening  54  are contiguous. The collar  55  in one embodiment is to be made 0.020 to 0.030 inches thick or may be any thickness that is structurally sound. The collar may be constructed of a plastic or of a rigid material such as steel or stainless steel. 
   The taper of the neck and collar should be the same and is preferably about 5 degrees. Preferably, the neck and collar tapers are sized so that the neck does not pull out of the collar, nor does it wedge in so tightly that the device and bag may not be separated. According to one embodiment of the invention, the bag  20  is removable and replaceable from the device. 
   In one use, as an insect trap, the bag  20  and device  50  are coupled together after the bag has been filled with an attractant or a lure has been placed in the device. The neck  30  and collar  55  of the main body  51  are joined so that the attractant permeates through the contiguous openings  23  and  54  and through the vents  61   a  in the funnel  61  and through the opening in the main body  60  to draw insects into the trap device  50  through the funnel  61 . Once the insects have entered through the funnel  61  they will tend to move up within the device  50  away from the funnel opening  61   b . The main body  51  is constructed of a translucent material that allows some light through whereas the funnel  61  is preferably constructed of an opaque material. Thus, the insects drawn towards the light will tend to move up towards the light and not to exit out the funnel opening  61   b.    
   The bag  20  is hung from the trap body which is hung by a string or wire attached to a hole  68  in the cap  66 . When the bag  20  is full, it can be removed by first closing off the bag  20 , e.g., tying it around the neck region  22  so that any captured insects will not be able to escape when the bag  20  is removed. The bag may be discarded while the trap device  50  is retained for reuse. Another bag may then be inserted into the device with a new lure or attractant. 
   In use, for example, as a fly trap, in one embodiment, a liquid attractant is mixed and place in the bottom portion  21  of the bag. In use, for example, as a yellow jacket trap, a lure is hung over the neck and located within the bottom portion  21  of the bag  20 . 
   The bag and attachment device may have alternative uses as an insect trap, such as, for example, as a monitoring device for determination of degree of infestation. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 8 , an alternative embodiment of a bag and attachment device is illustrated. In this application a bag  80  is attached to a dispenser  70  which may be a grinding or mixing machine. The dispenser  70  includes a valve  71  for selectably releasing material from the dispenser  70 , and an attachment device  75  for coupling the dispenser  70  to the bag  80 . The valve  71  is couple to an outlet port (not shown) of the dispenser  70 . The valve  71  includes a knob  74  that actuates the opening or closing of the valve  71  to prevent or permit the release of material from the dispenser  70 . The attachment device  75  is coupled to the outlet (not shown) of the valve  71  and comprises a funnel  72  and attachment collar  73  with a tapered inner circumference. The valve  71  is coupled to the funnel  72  so that when the valve  71  is opened, the funnel  72  directs material from the valve  71  through the attachment collar  73 . The bag  80  includes a neck  81  attached around the circumference of an opening  82  in the narrow neck portion  83  of the bag  80 . The neck  81  is tapered to engage to the tapered inner circumference of the attachment collar  73  of the attachment device  75  of the dispenser  70 . The bag  80  and neck  81  are attached to the attachment collar  73  in a manner similar to bag  20 , neck  30  and attachment collar  55  described above with reference to  FIGS. 1–7  and are constructed of similar materials as bag  20 , neck  30  and attachment collar  55  described above. 
   With the valve  71  closed, where the dispenser is a grinding or mixing machine, the machine is used to grind or mix material such as coffee, spices or other foods, or other solid or liquid materials. After the material is ground and/or mixed, the knob  74  is used to open the valve  71 , allowing the material to fall into the attached bag  80 . Thus, the material may be dispensed into the bag without spillage or human contact with the material. After the material is in the bag,  80 , the bag can be closed with a twist tie. The bag  80  and neck  81  can be removed from the collar  73  in a manner similar to that of bag  20 , neck  30  and collar  55  described above with reference to  FIGS. 1–7 . 
   Alternatively the dispenser  70  may simply contain and/or dispense material. Also, the machine or dispenser may be constructed without a valve allowing material to fall directly into the bag (in one embodiment, after being ground or mixed.) Similarly, as noted above with respect to the bag  20  and neck  30  of  FIGS. 1–7 , the neck  81  of the bag  80  may be separable from the bag  80 , for example a portion of the narrow region  83  of the bag  80  may be folded around the neck  81 . 
   In one variation of the dispensing machine, the bag may be water bag such as, for example a Camelback™ used to transport water. The neck  81  may be attached to the bag  80  by folding a portion of the bag  80  at the opening  82  around the neck  81 . The neck is coupled to the attachment device  75 , which is attached to dispenser  70  for dispensing water (e.g. a water faucet or spout). 
   Alternative uses of the bag and attachment device may include numerous variations of, e.g., food storage, mixing and dispensing, dry goods and/or liquids storage, mixing and dispensing. In these devices, another similar attachment device may be attached to the bag such as a cap to close the device. 
   According to one embodiment according to the invention, a method of sealing a bag is provided. Accordingly, the method includes providing a flexible bag comprising a neck region defining a bag opening into the bag; providing a neck member comprising a tapered neck wall; coupling the neck member to a portion of the bag in the neck region to provide support for the bag opening; providing an attachment device comprising a collar including a collar opening and a tapered collar wall; and positioning the tapered collar wall adjacent the tapered neck wall in a press fit engagement to provide a contiguous opening formed by the collar opening and bag opening. Another aspect of the method may include providing a seal between the portion of the bag coupled to the neck member and the attachment device. 
   In one embodiment of the method, the collar has an inner circumference comprising said collar tapered wall and the neck member has an outer circumference comprising the tapered neck wall. The neck member may be deformed from an original configuration so that it may be positioned within the collar of the attachment device. After it has been positioned within the collar, neck member is permitted to resiliently return to its original configuration and it is also positioned within the collar so that the tapered neck wall engages the tapered collar wall in a press fit engagement. 
   One variation of the method includes providing an insect trap device coupled to the attachment device. Another variation of the method includes providing a material dispenser coupled to the attachment device and dispensing material from the attachment device to the bag. In one embodiment, the material dispenser may dispense liquids, e.g. water into a water bag for carrying in a backpack or other pack. The material dispenser may also be a mixing or grinding machine.