Patent Publication Number: US-2018044066-A1

Title: Flexible sealing strip

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a sealing structure, especially to a flexible sealing strip applied to an opening of an airtight or watertight bag for better airtightness or watertightness of the bag. 
     There is a plurality of sealing structures of watertight bag or airtight bag such as an inflatable mattress available now. For example, the sealing structures can be interlocking ribs revealed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,911,657, U.S. Pat. No. 7,884,412, and U.S. Pat. No. 8,827,556, closure clip in U.S. Pat. No. 5,462,222, or roll-down closure in U.S. Pat. No. 8,978,693. The roll-down closure is formed by webbing connected to a flexible plastic piece or metal piece and then fixed by a common fastener such as quick release buckle, Velcro hook loop, etc. 
     However, the interlocking ribs and the closure clip are easy to be opened by an external force. The closure clip is even broken apart while being opened. As to roll-down closure in U.S. Pat. No. 8,978,693, the opening is sealed first and then the sealing is further enhanced by fasteners. Yet the structure is complicated so that the manufacturing and assembly costs are higher. In order to solve the above problems, there is room for improvement and a need to provide a novel sealing structure. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Therefore it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a flexible sealing strip having a simple structure and high practical value. 
     In order to achieve the above object, a flexible sealing strip with a certain length and applied to an opening of an airtight or watertight bag according to the present invention includes a long cut portion, a first plate portion, a second plate portion and a fastening portion. The long cut portion is arranged at a middle part of the flexible sealing strip in a length direction thereof. The length of the long cut portion is smaller than that of the flexible sealing strip. Each of two ends in the length direction of the long cut portion is disposed with a chamfer. The first plate portion is located on one of two sides of the long cut portion, along the length direction of the long cut portion and is connected to a first edge of the long soft opening of the bag. The second plate portion is located on the other side of the long cut portion, opposite to the side with the first plate portion, attached to a second edge of the long soft opening of the bag and integrally formed with the first plate portion. The fastening portion consists of a first fastener and a second fastener secured to each other and arranged at two ends in the length direction of the flexible sealing strip respectively. 
     The first edge of the long soft opening is moved toward one direction along with the first plate portion and the second edge of the long soft opening is moved to the opposite direction along with the second plate portion when the first plate portion and the second plate portion are bent flexibly and away from each other with respect to the long cut portion. Thus the long soft opening of the bag is in an opened state. 
     The first edge and the second edge of the long soft opening are moved along with the first plate portion and the second plate portion respectively to be in a horizontal state when the first plate portion and the second plate portion are flexibly turned back to the original state relative to the long cut portion, parallel to each other in the length direction. Thus the long soft opening of the bag is closed in the length direction horizontally. 
     The flexible sealing strip is rotated after being turned back to the length direction horizontally so that the first edge and the second edge of the long soft opening of the bag are also rotated toward the bag at least 360 degrees along with the flexible sealing strip. Then the flexible sealing strip is bent flexibly so as to make the first fastener and the second fastener of the fastening portion secure to each other. Thereby the long soft opening of the bag is closed more tightly. The sealing structure of the present invention is simple and practical. 
     The first fastener is arrow-shaped and having a head part and a neck part while the second fastener is a T-shaped slot including a straight slot in the length direction and a transverse slot communicating with the straight slot. The head of the first fastener is passed through the T-shaped slot from one side of the second fastener to the other side of the second fastener so that the head is stopped and locked on the other side of the second fastener and the fastening portion is in a fastened state. 
     The fastening portion is fixed on the two ends of the flexible sealing strip. The first fastener or the second fastener of the fastening portion can be a quick release buckle, a Velcro Hook Loop or a button. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The structure and the technical means adopted by the present invention to achieve the above and other objects can be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic drawing showing a perspective view of an embodiment according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a top view of the embodiment in  FIG. 1  according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic drawing showing an opened state of a bag that is an inflatable mattress of an embodiment according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic drawing showing a closed state of the embodiment in  FIG. 3  according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic drawing showing an opened state of a bag that is a waterproof bag of an embodiment according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic drawing showing a closed state of the embodiment in  FIG. 5  according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a partial enlarged view of a longitudinal cross sectional view of an embodiment in an opened state according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a partial enlarged view of a longitudinal cross sectional view of an embodiment in a closed state according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 9  is a schematic drawing showing an embodiment in a closed state is rotated toward the bag according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 10  is a partial enlarged view of a longitudinal cross sectional view of an embodiment in  FIG. 9  according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 11  is a schematic drawing showing an embodiment in  FIG. 9  being rotated and then bent to be closed according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 12  is a schematic view of an embodiment in which a fastening portion is formed by an arrow-shaped male fastener and a female fastener with a T-shaped slot according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 13  is a schematic view of another embodiment of a fastening portion (quick release buckle) according to the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Refer from  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 6 , a flexible sealing strip  10  of the present invention is revealed. The flexible sealing strip  10  with a certain length is applied to a long soft opening  21  of an airtight or watertight bag  20 . The flexible sealing strip  10  includes a long cut portion  11 , a first plate portion  13 , a second plate portion  14  and a fastening portion  15 . 
     The long cut portion  11  is disposed on a middle part of the flexible sealing strip  10  in the in the direction of the length thereof. The length of the long cut portion  11  is smaller than that of the flexible sealing strip  10 . Each of two ends in the length direction of the long cut portion  11  is disposed with a chamfer  12  for reducing stress concentration and preventing tears caused by being dragged. The shape of the chamfer  12  is not limited. The chamfer  12  can be a fillet  12 , as shown in  FIG. 1  or a bevel (not shown in figure) such as 30 degree bevel, 45 degree bevel, or 60 degree bevel. 
     Refer from  FIG. 7  to  FIG. 10 , the first plate portion  13  is located on one of two sides of the long cut portion  11 , along the length direction of the long cut portion  11  and is connected to a first edge  22  of the long soft opening  21  of the bag  20 . The second plate portion  14  is located on the other side of the long cut portion  11 , opposite to the side with the first plate portion  13  and is attached to a second edge  23  of the long soft opening  21  of the bag  20 . The first plate portion  13  and the second plate portion  14  are integrally formed for simplifying the structure and the reducing manufacturing and assembly costs. 
     The bag  20  is made from one of the materials including thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and nylon. 
     Refer to  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 11 , the fastening portion  15  consists of a first fastener  15   a  and a second fastener  15   b  secured to each other and arranged at two ends in the length direction of the flexible sealing strip  10  respectively. As shown in  FIG. 11 , the flexible sealing strip  10  is bent flexibly so that the first fastener  15   a  and the second fastener  15   b  are tightened together. In this embodiment, the fastening portion  15  is integrally formed on two ends in the length direction of the flexible sealing strip  10  for simplifying production and reducing cost. The first fastener  15   a  is an arrow  30  including a head part  31  and a neck part  32  while the second fastener  15   b  is a T-shaped slot  40  formed by a straight slot  41  in the length direction and a transverse slot  42  communicating with the straight slot  41 . The head  31  of the first fastener  15   a  is passed through the T-shaped slot  40  from one side of the second fastener  15   b  to the other side of the second fastener  15   b . Thus the head  31  is stopped and locked on the other side of the second fastener  15   b  and the fastening portion  15  is in the fastened state. 
     Refer to  FIG. 12 , another embodiment of a fastening portion  15  is revealed. The fastening portion  15  includes a first fastener  15   a  and a second fastener  15   b  secured with each other. The function of this embodiment is the same as the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 11 . The difference between this embodiment and the above one is in the shape of the T-shaped slot  40  of the second fastener  15   b  of the fastening portion  15 . 
     Moreover, the first fastener  15   a  and the second fastener  15   b  of the fastening portion  15  can be replaced by conventional fasteners such as a quick release buckle shown in  FIG. 13 . Besides the quick release buckle, the fastening portion  15  can also be a Velcro Hook Loop (not shown in figure) or a button, (not shown in figure) etc. The fastening portion  15  can be, but not limited to be, connected to the flexible sealing strip  10  by rivets  15   c , as shown in  FIG. 13 . Thus the fastening portion  15  is fixed on the two ends of the flexible sealing strip  10 . 
     Refer to  FIG. 3 ,  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 7 , the first edge  22  of the long soft opening  21  is moved toward a certain direction (upward direction in  FIG. 3 ) along with the first plate portion  13  and the second edge  23  of the long soft opening  21  is moved to the opposite direction (downward direction in  FIG. 3 ) along with the second plate portion  14  when the first plate portion  13  and the second plate portion  14  are bent flexibly and away from each other with respect to the long cut portion  11 . Thus the long soft opening  21  of the bag  20  is in an opened state, allowing users to fill air or other things such as water into an inner space (as an arrow A in  FIG. 3  indicates) of the bag  20 , Therefore the bag  20  is used as an airtight or watertight bag. 
     Refer to  FIG. 4 ,  FIG. 6  and  FIG. 8 , the first edge  22  and the second edge  23  of the long soft opening  21  are moved along with the first plate portion  13  and the second plate portion  14  respectively to be in a horizontal state the when the first plate portion  13  and the second plate portion  14  are flexibly turned back to the original state relative to the long cut portion, parallel to each other in the length direction. Thus the long soft opening  21  of the bag  20  is closed in the length direction horizontally. 
     Refer to  FIG. 9 ,  FIG. 10 , and  FIG. 11 , the flexible sealing strip  10  is rotated after the flexible sealing strip  10  being turned back to the length direction horizontally so that the first edge  22  and the second edge  23  of the long soft opening  21  of the bag  20  are also rotated toward the bag  20  at least 360 degrees along with the flexible sealing strip  10  (as an arrow B in  FIG. 9  indicates). Thus the long soft opening  21  is rotated to be the closed state again. Then the flexible sealing strip  10  is bent flexibly (as an arrow C in  FIG. 11  indicates) so as to make the first fastener  15   a  and the second fastener  15   b  of the fastening portion  15  secure to each other. Thereby the long soft opening  21  of the bag  20  is closed more tightly. 
     Refer from  FIG. 3  to  FIG. 6 , the bag  20  can be an inflatable mattress  20   a  or a waterproof bag  20   b . When the bag  20  is an inflatable mattress  20   a , the long soft opening  21  is further disposed with an air valve  50 . The air valve  50  is formed by a first fabric layer  51  and a second fabric layer  52  connected to each other. One end of the first and the second fabric layers  51 ,  52  close to the long soft opening  21  are connected to the first and the second edges  22 ,  23  respectively while the other ends thereof are free ends. When the long soft opening  21  of the inflatable mattress  20   a  is opened for users to inflate the inflatable mattress  20   a , the first fabric layer  51  and the second fabric layer  52  of the air valve  50  are pushed by air so that the air is filled into the inflatable mattress  20   a  (as the arrow A in  FIG. 3  indicates). When the user stops inflating, the first fabric layer  51  and the second fabric layer  52  of the air valve  50  are turned back to the closed state owing to internal pressure of the inflatable mattress  20   a . Thus the air is unable to flow out from the long soft opening  21 . 
     Compared with the structure available now, the flexible sealing strip  10  has the following advantages: 
     (1) The flexible sealing strip  10  is formed integrally. This is not only reducing production cost but also suitable for mass production.
 
(2) Each of two ends of the long cut portion in the length direction thereof is disposed with a chamfer for preventing tears caused by being used multiple times. Thus the durability of the product is improved and airtight/watertight reliability is increased.
 
(3) The flexible sealing strip  10  for sealing has simple structure so that it&#39;s easy to use and people&#39;s desire to buy is aroused.
 
     Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details, and representative devices shown and described herein. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.