Patent Publication Number: US-2013243354-A1

Title: Self sealing waterproof bag

Description:
The present invention is a continuation in part of U.S. non-provisional utility patent application Ser. No. 13/278,828 filed Oct. 21, 2011 entitled Self Sealing Waterproof Bag, by inventor Matthew Mark Lytle, which in turn claims continuation in part priority from provisional application 61/458,446 filed Nov. 23, 2010 by inventor Matthew Mark Lytle, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates in general to a self-sealing container. 
     DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART 
     An early waterproof bag was invented in 1912 by William J. Graham. In U.S. Pat. No. 1,038,351, issued on Sep. 1, 1912, Graham&#39;s waterproof bag comprises of hinged yokes and hinged frames that form a water tight joint. 
     Hibbard in U.S. Pat. No. 4,213,549 published Jul. 22, 1980 describes a waterproof storage bag and backpack that includes a harness and harness mounting grommets. The grommets permit the harness to cradle the bag and load items therein to enhance the top closure seal and to permit the bag to be opened without removal of the harness. 
     Masters in U.S. Pat. No. 4,421,150 published Dec. 20, 1983 describes a bag having a waterproof enclosure contained with an outer case having a cover flap, which fastens over a closure by a yieldable fastener to seal an article within the enclosure in a generally airtight waterproof environment. A safety fastener maintains the closure. 
     Gunzi, et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,797,683 published Aug. 25, 1998 describes a bag with an access opening made up of a pair of edges and a closure for closing the access opening. “The closure comprises a first bar secured to one edge and a second bar releasably connectable to the first with the edges clamped together to close the opening.” 
     Townsend in U.S. Pat. No. 6,112,959 published in Sep. 5, 2000 describes a waterproof carrying bag and backpack for carrying items, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. The Townsend waterproof bag is described to include an outer case having top and bottom panels, a pair of side panels, a back panel and an open front. The outer case has top and bottom flaps that substantially cover the open front of the outer case. A waterproof inner pouch is provided in the outercase and is also detachably attached to the back panel of the outer case. 
     Kennedy in U.S. Pat. No. 6,435,392 B1 published Aug. 20, 2002 describes a lightweight waterproof pouch comprising an outer enclosure formed of flexible material, a removable and resealable waterproof and watertight inner pouch liner for insertion into the outer enclosure, and a strap attached to the outer enclosure. 
     Revels in US 2006/0072857 A1 published Apr. 6, 2006 describes a waterproof carrying case using a dielectric welding. The main body of the bag comprises an interlocking closure member fused in the open top and sealed against the main body by a pair of end sleeves positioned over a corner of the main body and the closure member. There is a pair of opening loop handles secured to the main body adjacent the closure member. Revels discussed shortcomings of prior art where moisture can seep through the line of closure through zippers. 
     Sakai in U.S. 2007/0261977 A1 published Nov. 15, 2007 describes a waterproof container that includes “an outer shell having a lid and a bottom portion connected by a zipper, an inner liner secured to and positioned within the outer shell, and a gap defined between the outer shell and the inner liner.” The container has a drainage hole in the bottom portion that communicates the gap with the exterior of the container, allowing water entering through the zipper to fall through the gap and exit through the drainage hole. 
     Kirby in US 2009/0208146 A1 published Aug. 20, 2009 describes an impermeable bag with a sealing mechanism that prevents water from entering the bag and has a sealing mechanism for convenient opening and closing of the bag. The bag includes a first sidewall, a second sidewall, a flexible interlocking member and a flexible interposing member. The first sidewall comprises a first inner surface and a first outer surface. The second sidewall comprises a second inner surface and a second outer surface. Pressure applied to the first outer surface and the second outer surface inserts the flexible interposing member in to the flexible interlocking member for sealing the opening. 
     Fujimura, in Japanese patent publication number JP5056809 published Mar. 9, 1993 in the Japanese patent office entitled Opening And Closing Device Using Magnet In Waterproof Bag, provides for magnets folded inside folds of a waterproof bag to facilitate in closing the bag, the disclosure which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     There is a need for a container product that is self-sealing, simple and convenient to use. The prior art may have water resistant qualities, but are not self-sealing, and require human intervention to form the enclosures on the bags. Many of the prior art use seals such as “zip-lock” type seal, multiple roll and clip seal, clamp seal, and waterproof zipper. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the invention to self seal the opening of containers with flexible magnetic strips. A preferred embodiment of the present invention is a container that is water resistant and airtight. The use of magnet-to-magnet contact to self seal containers simplifies the process of sealing the opening of the container because the convergence of the magnets may provide an air and/or water tight seal. This present invention uses a magnet convergence that automatically, quickly and efficiently seals a container when an individual is around water to provide a water-resistant and airtight bag that protects valuables free from water damage. The magnet-to-magnet seal can be applied in any size and variety of different shaped containers. 
     A waterproof self sealing container sealed by magnet to magnet contact, making the container airtight and water resistant. The water resistant container has a body made of flexible water resistant material. The body is formed as a sheet. An opening is formed at an end of the body. The body opening has a body opening first side and a body opening second side. A first magnet strip is bonded to the body opening first side. A first bonding layer bonds to the body. The first magnet strip is bonded to the first bonding layer and wherein the first bonding layer is bonded to the body opening first side. A second magnet strip is bonded to the body opening second side. A second bonding layer is bonded to the body. The second magnet strip is bonded to the second bonding layer and the second bonding layer is bonded to the body opening second side. A water resistant seal is formed between the first magnet strip and the second magnet strip when the first magnet strip is closed to the second magnet strip to close the opening formed at the end of the body. 
     A double fold is formed in body material such that the first magnet strip and second magnet strip defines a folding region that is folded twice over the water resistant seal. The double fold is secured to the body by a locking means. An upper carry strap is connected to the body at an upper strap connection and a lower carry strap is connected to the body and a lower strap connection. The upper connection is higher than the lower connection. A left edge seal and the right edge seal are formed on the body. The left edge seal seals stitching holes on the left edge and the right edge seal seals stitching holes on the right edge, so that the left edge seal is heat laminated to the left edge, and so that the right edge seal is heat laminated to the right edge. A fold edge is formed by a fold of the water resistant material to form the fold edge of the body. 
     The first magnet strip and the second magnet strip have linearly oriented magnetized channels disposed within plastic resin. The plastic resin has lower magnetic properties than the linearly oriented magnetic channels. 
     A flap magnet contact area is located where the first magnet strip and the second magnet strip contact each other, but the flap outside surface is free from the sidewalls of the body and are not glued, laminated or bonded to the sidewalls of the body. The flap magnet contact area is adjacent to the water resistant seal area. 
     The water resistant container optionally has: a first left magnet bevel formed at a left side of the first magnet strip; a first right magnet bevel formed at a right side of the first magnet strip; a second left magnet bevel formed at a left side of the second magnet strip; and a second right magnet bevel formed at a right side of the second magnet strip. The water resistant container also has a first left magnet bevel tip formed at a left side of the first magnet strip; a first right magnet bevel tip formed at a right side of the first magnet strip; a second left magnet bevel tip formed at a left side of the second magnet strip; and a second right magnet bevel tip formed at a right side of the second magnet strip. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is the frontal view of the self-sealing bag. 
         FIG. 2  is the back view of the self-sealing bag with the magnet strip at the opening and two straps used for carrying the bag. 
         FIG. 3  is a front view of the self-sealing bag with a hook and loop strip. 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-section diagram of the layers of the self sealing bag, not drawn to scale. 
         FIG. 5  is a diagram of the template of the sheet used for making the self sealing bag. 
         FIG. 6  is a front perspective view of the self sealing bag without supplemental hook and loop tape closures. 
         FIG. 7  is a side cross-section showing the flap magnet contact area and fluid pocket. 
         FIG. 8  is a top cross-section exploded view diagram showing assembly of the bag opening. 
         FIG. 9  is a top cross-section diagram of the assembled bag opening. 
         FIG. 10  is a front view diagram showing the assembly template of bag opening. 
     
    
    
     The following call out list of elements can be used for referencing the call out numbers of the drawings.
       21  Side Fringe     22  Seal Strip     23  Gap     24  Body     25  Fold Edge     26  Opening Edge     27  Bias Member     31  First Hook Or Loop Strip     32  Opening Fringe     33  Second Hook Or Loop Strip     41  Upper Strap Connection     42  Upper Strap     43  Strap Linkage     44  Lower Strap     45  Lower Strap Connection     51  Outside Magnet Contact Edge     52  Middle Magnet Connection     53  Flap Magnet Contact Area     54  Inside Magnet Contact Edge     55  Fluid Pocket     88  Fold Line     131  Magnet Strip     132  Bonding Layer Of Glue Or Melt Plastic     133  Side Walls Of The Body     134  Graphic Printing Layer     135  Magnet Contact Area     136  Plastic Resin     137  Magnetized Channel     138  Magnet Bevel     139  Magnet Tip   

     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The self sealing container has one or more openings using magnet to magnet contact, preferably making the container water-resistant and airtight. The specialized magnet to magnet seal may be used in, for example, but not limited to, bags, backpacks, pockets, duffle bags, soft coolers and handbags. More specifically, this invention relates to sealing containers without human intervention and using only flexible magnet-to-magnet contact. When left hands-free, the magnet to magnet contact and bias rods pops the opening closed. 
     The present invention is constructed on a sheet of waterproof fabric using a length of fabric and folded so as to have a fold line  88  to form a fold edge  25  at a bottom of the bag. The sides of the bag are stitched with thread and a strip of seal  22  material is laminated over the stitching holes on the inside of the bag. The seal strip  22  is heat laminated and pressed against the stitching holes on the inside of the bag. The seal strip  22  is reinforced by a side fringe  21  which runs along the length of the left and right side of the bag. 
     The hook and loop panels are sewn to the bag and all the stitching has a vinyl tape heat pressed against the stitching holes on the inside of the bag. The hook and loop panels are disposed to engage with each other. A gap  23  can be formed between the opening fringe  32  and the side seal strip  22  when the bag is open, but the gap closes to be watertight when the bag is closed. The  23  is preferably minimized. 
     The body  24  of the bag can be a polyester or nylon fabric material that has been treated with a waterproof coating or is inherently waterproof. The body  24  of the bag is preferably rectangular, but can be made in other shapes such as round or triangular. The body of the bag receives a pair of seal strips  22 , namely a left seal strip in the right seal strip. The seal strips seal the left and right bag edges. The opening edge  26  receives a pair of opening fringes  32  to reinforce the opening edge. 
     A first hook or loop strip  31  connects to a second hook or loop strip  33  when the bag opening edge  26  is folded in a roll configuration so that the first hook or loop strip  31  engages with the second hook or loop strip  33 . The first hook or loop strip  31  in conjunction with the second hook or loop strip  33  forms a hook and loop tape connection that is removable by a user. Instead of a hook and loop tape connection, clasps and magnets can also be used for maintaining a folded roll configuration of the opening edge  26  and of the pair of opening fringes  32 . 
     The preferred embodiment includes a double fold formed in the body materials such that the pair of magnet strips defines a folding region of the magnet to magnet contact that is folded over the body and locked by a locking means. The locking means can be a locking mechanism such as hook and loop material, snaps, clasp, or zipper thereby providing strength to the magnet to magnet water resistant seal. When the fold region is folded, the first fold is located underneath the magnet strips and the second fold is located above the second hook or loop tape area. The second hook or loop tape area connects with the first hook or loop tape area. The first hook or loop tape area can be generally along the outside of the body overlying the first magnet strip. Therefore, the first closing seal is the magnet to magnet connection. The second closing seal is the first fold and second fold with the secondary connection locking means. The first fold and second fold form a double fold that can look like a rolled edge. The distance between the first magnet and the second hook or loop tape area would be approximately the width of the first magnet and the second magnet. The width of the first magnet and the second magnet should be generally equivalent. The secondary connection locking means is configured to increase orientation retention to provide increased torsion and twist resistance. 
     Connected to the body of the bag are straps. An upper strap connection  41  having a watertight seal of stitching holes holds an upper strap  42 . The upper strap  42  connects to an end of a strap linkage  43 . The other end of the strap linkage  43  can be a second strap  44  acting as a lower strap  44 . The lower strap  44  is secured to an edge of the body  24  at a side fringe  21  where a lower strap connection  45  connects the lower strap  44  to the body. The stitching holes of the second strap connection or the lower strap connection  45  provides for waterproof connection. 
     On the inside of the body of the bag are a pair of magnets formed as magnet strips  131 ,  FIG. 4 . The magnet strips  131  provide direct connection to each other at a magnet contact area  135 . The magnet contact area  135  is waterproof but may have small air gaps trapped between magnetized channels  137 . The magnet strips  131  preferably have magnetized channels  137  extending along the length of the magnetic strips  131 . The magnetized channels are aligned between the upper magnet strip and the lower magnet strip. The magnetized channels  137  are held in the magnetic strip by plastic resin  136  or are more magnetized areas of the magnetic strip. The plastic resin of the upper magnetic strip is pressed against the plastic resin of the lower magnetic strip. The plastic resin  136  has a lower concentration of magnetic material and the magnetized channels  137  have a higher concentration of magnetic material and therefore have higher magnetic properties. The magnetic channels attract to each other and maintain parallel orientation between the first magnet strip and the second magnet strip. The cooperative alignment of the magnetic channels is configured to increase orientation retention to provide increased torsion and twist resistance. The magnetic channels  137  align to each other and provide multiple seal contracts in linear orientation long the length of the magnet strip  131 . The magnetic channels  137  do not necessarily have a round cross-section, but could also have a rectangular or other shaped cross section. The magnetic channels are strip magnets held to or encapsulated in the plastic resin  136  such that they are maintained parallel to each other. 
     The pair of magnetic strips  131  are bonded respectively to the pair of upper and lower inside surfaces of the side walls of the body  133 . The magnetic strips can be bonded by a bonding layer  132  of glue or thermal activated melt plastic. The magnetic strips are preferably bonded by a bonding layer of contact adhesive, or by glue or thermally activated melt plastic. The pair of bonding layers bonds the magnet strips to the body in a watertight fashion. The bonding layer  132  can be provided by a seal strip  22  which can be thermally adhesive or room temperature adhesively bonded. 
     Additionally, a graphic printing layer  134  can be imprinted over an outside surface of the side walls of the body  133 . The graphic print layer may have instructions, text, graphics or designs. 
     During construction, waterproof material of the body is cut to a desired size. Then, straps, bias, and hook and loop material are sewn to the body. After sewing, vinyl tape is heat pressed over stitching to seal the holes. One of the magnetic strips can be adhered over the top hook and loop stitch holes to seal the stitch holes formed by the hook or loop tape strip. The adhering of the magnetic strip over the hook and loop tape stitch holes also holds the magnetic strip to the body and at the same time seals the hook and loop tape stitch holes. 
     Adhesive can be applied to the magnet strip and the waterproof material is folded in half. The sides of the waterproof material can be heat pressed to seal the sides and corners of the bag. The waterproof material may come with a layer of seal strip on the inside surface of the waterproof material. After the bag is folded in half and joined, the bag is trimmed and bias is sewn to the sides to give a finished look. During use, the magnet strips close the opening of the bag giving an airtight or watertight seal. The top of the bag includes the opening edge  26  and can be folded twice until the first hook or loop strip  31  connects to the second hook or loop strip  33  four increasing the strength of the seal. Once the completed bag is closed, it can hold air or water inside. The bag can also hold dry articles inside for keeping the article dry. 
     It is possible for the seal strip and the plastic bonding layer to be made of a solid heat activated adhesive resin which could be a layer of polypropylene film that is thinner than the magnetic strip and thinner than the side walls of the body  133 . The seal strip and the plastic bonding layer can be made of an intermediate polymer film layer of ethylene based octene plastomer. This polyolefin film may comprise a polyethylene, a polypropylene polymer or a blend of polyethylene with about 1 to 10% ethylene vinyl acetate. The bonding layer can be made as a plastomer film layer. Stitching holes of the upper strap connection can be sealed with a heat laminated sealing layer, and stitching holes of the lower strap connection can also be sealed with a heat laminated sealing layer. 
     As seen in  FIG. 6 , the present invention can optionally be made without a hook and loop strip connection. As seen in  FIG. 7 , the magnet strips  131  have a magnet contact area  135  that can extend downward as a loose flap that is not laminated to side walls of the body  133 . Optionally, the flap can be connected to one side wall but not the other. At least either the first magnet strip or the second magnet strip is free from the sidewalls of the body not being bonded to the sidewalls of the body at the flap area. This means that one of the first magnet strip or the second magnet strip can be attached entirely to the sidewalls of the body being bonded to the sidewalls of the body at the flap area. 
     The flap magnet connection configuration has an outside magnet contact edge  51  that closes the outside edge. The flap magnet connection configuration also has a middle magnet connection  52  which is where the side walls of the body  133  connect to a middle portion of the magnet strips  131 . The middle magnet connection  52  is between the inside magnet contact edge  54  and outside magnet contact edge  51 . The inside magnet contact edge  54  is a terminal edge of a flap magnet contact area  53 . The flap magnet contact area  53  is bounded between the middle magnet connection  52  and the inside magnet contact edge  54 . The flap magnet contact area  53  and the side walls of the body  133  can hold a fluid pocket  55  between the flap magnet contact area  53  and the side walls of the body  133 . The fluid pocket  55  can be filled with a liquid or gas such as air or water. The fluid pocket can also be empty. 
     When the bag is submerged, fluid pushing against the fluid pocket  55  also pushes against the flap magnet contact area  53  to keep the flap magnet contact area  53  closed. Without the flap magnet contact area  53 , the bag would burst open at the connection between the side walls of the body  133  and the magnet strips  131 . However, the flap magnet contact area  53  more evenly distributes pressure to maintain the bag in a closed position. During testing, the bag bursts at the side seal strip  22  before bursting at the flap magnet contact area  53 . The fluid pocket being described is the area between the side walls of the body  133  and the magnet strips  131 . The magnet strips  131  would have magnet channels  136  which are parallel to the outside magnet contact edge  51 , which are parallel to the magnet strips  131  and which are parallel to the inside magnet contact edge  54 . The magnet strips  131  maintain magnet strip alignment during fluid pocket pressurization such as when traveling underwater. 
     A bias member  27  can be a leaf spring that can snap the bag shut when the bag is open. The bias member  27  can be formed as a rod or stick and passed through a sleeve formed in the opening fringe  32 . The opening fringe  32  can be a strip of fabric that is folded along the length of the body and the bias member  27  can be placed in the fold that forms a sleeve. The bias member can be sewed shut and enclosed within the sleeve fold. The bias member can be formed of carbon fiber to resist saltwater corrosion, or can be made of spring steel or fiberglass. The bias member can also be made of plastic in a more potentially inexpensive embodiment. The opening fringe  32  can be a heavy fabric that is plastic based and has slight resistance to bending to form the fabric fold also called the sleeve fold. The sleeve fold retains the bias member. The bias member can have a round cross section and be formed as a slender flexible rod. The bias member can be removable if the sleeve fold is open at a left or right edge. The bias member does not necessarily touch the magnet, but could be formed to bias on the outside of the magnet. 
     As seen in  FIG. 8 , the present invention can be constructed by using seal strips  22  for connecting the side walls of the body  133 . The seal strips can be heat tape or adhesive strips, such as double-sided adhesive strips. The seal strips are preferably airtight and watertight. The seal strips can be purchased on a roll of plastic strip or made by thermal heat lamination of plastic members such as the side walls of the body directly onto the magnet. The seal strips can be formed when abutting plastic members are heated, such as by sonic welding and a melted interface can form the seal strips if the magnet matrix material is compatible with the side walls of the body. When adhesive tape materials are not independently purchased, and the melted interface is the seal strip, the bond may be weaker. It may be preferable to have thermal heat lamination of plastic members together as well as using seal strips. The best closure construction is dependent upon the materials involved. 
       FIG. 8  shows that the magnets are beveled such as by cutting and grinding the magnet edge. The magnet bevel  138  terminates at a magnet tip  139 . The thickness of the members are not to scale and are exaggerated for clarity. A suggested order of construction would be to first bevel the left edge and the right edge of the magnet to have a tip at a left side and at a right side. Seal strips  22  can be placed on the magnet outside surface parallel to the length of the magnet while maintaining a magnet to magnet contact on a magnet inside surface. The side adhesive strips can be seal strips  22  and seal the left and right side against the side walls of the body. Once completely laid out, a thermal press can be used for finalizing the seal. The resulting structure is waterproof and can also be made airtight. The assembled cross-section view is shown in  FIG. 9  as having a beveled profile. The assembled structure may have fringes on the left and right side that can be trimmed and finished with a serger or have edge trim covering.  FIG. 10  shows the preferred front view of the assembly with the horizontal adhesive strip as seal strip  22  covering the top half of the magnet  131  and having side vertical adhesive strips as seal strip  22  covering the left and right edges of the horizontal adhesive strip and the magnet strip. It is preferred that approximately half of the magnet is covered, although different ratios can also be workable such as one third or one fourth coverage of the magnet. 
     Although it is preferred that the first magnet strip and the second magnet strip are made of the same material and same construction, it is possible to make the second magnet strip of a different material. The second magnet strip can be a ferromagnetic material such as iron that has attraction to the first magnet strip which is a permanent magnet. The second magnet strip has magnetic properties attracting to the first magnet strip upon touching the first magnet strip. The second magnet strip can be a metal such as a steel leaf spring. 
     The flap magnet contact area is free and can be connected to the bag sidewalls at a left and right side edge, or the flap magnet contact area can be unconnected to the bag sidewalls at a left and right side edge. The flap magnet contact area is free at an inside edge and is free along the outside surface of the first magnet strip and along the outside surface of the second magnet strip.