Abstract:
A bag sealing device is designed to seal off an already-opened bag, such as a bag of chips. The device has a sheath and a rod. A slit is disposed along an axial direction of the sheath, and the rod is coupled to the sheath and disposed within it. A bag is folded over and inserted into the device such that it enters and exits the device at the slit and is wrapped around the rod. A reaction force from the rod and a reaction force from the sheath combine to cause the bag to be substantially pneumatically sealed.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The field of the invention is bag sealing devices and methods. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The background description includes information that may be useful in understanding the present invention. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art or relevant to the presently claimed invention, or that any publication specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art. 
         [0003]    Any time a bag of chips is opened, the chips need to either be eaten in one sitting or the bag must be resealed to maintain freshness. Efforts have been made in the past to address this issue, but each attempt has fallen short for one reason or another. 
         [0004]    In one example, bag clips have been produced that allow a person to roll up the end of the bag and clip it shut. While this helps to prevent the chips from becoming stale, it falls short in that air can still move in and out of the bag with relative ease. Chips or other foods sealed in this way will still become stale and inedible in a short amount of time. 
         [0005]    Other efforts have been made to create a device that can easily and effectively seal or reseal bags. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,503,696 (Ha et al.) describes a bag sealing and resealing device. The device includes a rod and a sheath, where the sheath has a slot along its longitudinal length. When a person is finished with a bag that does not otherwise include a way to reseal it, the device of the Ha et al. patent reseals the bag by looping the bag around the rod and between the rod and the sheath. To make it easier for a person to slide the device of the Ha et al. patent onto a bag, the rod has a bent portion at one end. This design, however, fails to appreciate better alternatives that make it even easier to use such a device. 
         [0006]    All publications identified herein are incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication or patent application were specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference. Where a definition or use of a term in an incorporated reference is inconsistent or contrary to the definition of that term provided herein, the definition of that term provided herein applies and the definition of that term in the reference does not apply. 
         [0007]    Thus, there is still a need for improved bag sealing devices and methods. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The inventive subject matter provides apparatus, systems and methods of sealing bags. To seal a bag, the bag is wrapped around a rod that is housed within a sheath that has a slit along its length. When the bag is wrapped around the rod within the sheath, the rod and sheath cause the bag to be sealed off such that any items on the closed side of the bag will exposed to minimal air. 
         [0009]    In preferred embodiments, the bag sealing device includes a rod and a sheath, where the rod is disposed within the sheath. The sheath has a slit running along its axial direction that provides a space for the bag to protrude from the device. 
         [0010]    The rod couples to the sheath at one end such that the other end of the rod protrudes from the sheath. In preferred embodiments, the rod has a triangular cross-section, but in other embodiments the rod can have triangular cross-sections, circular cross-sections, polygonal cross-sections, a tear-drop cross-section, or even different cross sections for different portions of the rod. The end of the rod that protrudes from the sheath is preferably rounded slightly bulbous. Preferably, this end of the rod is also substantially axially aligned with the rod (i.e., the bulbous end of the rod is not at an angle relative to the body of the rod). 
         [0011]    In preferred embodiments, the sheath has a rounded interior, but it can also have an interior cross-section to match the cross-section of the rod coupled to it. For example, if the rod has triangular cross sections along its length, then the sheath could also have triangular cross sections on its interior so as to provide a more reliable seal when the device is in use. In other embodiments, the end of the sheath having an opening for the rod to protrude from also extends away from the rod. This feature makes it easier to put the device onto a bag to seal the bag. 
         [0012]    In addition, preferred methods include a sheath that is flared on an end to facilitate sliding a bag onto a rod. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is a side view of a disassembled assembled bag sealing device having a straight sheath. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is an assembled view of the bag sealing device having a straight sheath. 
           [0015]      FIG. 3   a  shows a cutaway view of a bag sealing device where the rod and sheath have circular cross sections. 
           [0016]      FIG. 3   b  shows a cutaway view of a bag sealing device where the rod and sheath have triangular cross sections. 
           [0017]      FIG. 3   c  shows a cutaway view of a bag sealing device where the rod and sheath have teardrop cross sections. 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  is a side view of a disassembled assembled bag sealing device having a sheath where one end extends away from the rod. 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  is an assembled view of the bag sealing device having a sheath that extends away from the rod at one end. 
           [0020]      FIG. 6  is a bottom view of the bag sealing device of  FIG. 5 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0021]    Various objects, features, aspects and advantages of the inventive subject matter will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, along with the accompanying drawing figures in which like numerals represent like components. 
         [0022]    The following discussion provides many example embodiments of the inventive subject matter. Although each embodiment represents a single combination of inventive elements, the inventive subject matter is considered to include all possible combinations of the disclosed elements. Thus if one embodiment comprises elements A, B, and C, and a second embodiment comprises elements B and D, then the inventive subject matter is also considered to include other remaining combinations of A, B, C, or D, even if not explicitly disclosed. 
         [0023]    As used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, the meaning of “a,” “an,” and “the” includes plural reference unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Also, as used in the description herein, the meaning of “in” includes “in” and “on” unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. 
         [0024]      FIG. 1  depicts a preferred embodiment of a bag sealing device  100  that has been disassembled. When assembled, the bag sealing device  100  can seal off a bag such that one end of a bag is prevented from being exposed to air. For example, if a person is eating a bag of chips, but that person is unable to finish the chips, normally the bag would be rolled up and stored. That storage method allows the chips to quickly become stale as they are exposed to air. Using the bag sealing device  100 , the bag can be sectioned off such that the remaining chips are not exposed to air. To do this, a bag  106  is slid over the rod  104  such that the bag is between the rod  104  and the sheath  102 . 
         [0025]    On one end, the rod has features that facilitate coupling to the sheath. The bag sealing device  100  of  FIG. 1  shows a rod  104  that, on one end, has a rounded end cap  108  that is coupled to a plug  112 . The plug  112  is sized and dimensioned to fit within the sheath  102  (e.g., there is minimal space between the outer walls of the plug and the inner walls of the sheath). Preferably, the cross-section of the plug  112  is the same as the cross-section of the interior of the sheath  102  (albeit with slight different dimensions so that it can fit within the sheath). On the plug  112  are two protruding plugs  110  (only one is pictured—the other would be symmetrically located on the opposite side of the plug  112 ), and a key  124 . Plugs  110  fit into plug holes  114  on a rod coupling portion  116  of the sheath  102 , and the key  124  fits within the slit on the bottom of the sheath  102  to ensure proper orientation of the rod  104  when coupled to the sheath  102 . 
         [0026]    The rod  104  also has a bulbous portion  118  that makes it easier to slide a bag into the device  100 . Preferably, the bulbous portion  118  is oriented such that it is substantially axially aligned with the body of the rod  104 . Even more preferably, the top of the bulbous portion  118  is flush with the body of the rod  102  as shown in  FIG. 1 . By having the bulbous portion  118  axially aligned with the body of the rod  102 , it becomes significantly easier to slide a bag into the device  100 . 
         [0027]    It was previously thought that having the end of the rod angled downward would make it easier to slide a bag onto a device; however, it has since been discovered that such a configuration actually makes it more difficult to use these devices. This is because a fold in a bag must be aligned with the body of the rod to slide the bag over the rod and into the sheath, and when the end of the rod has an angled bend the bag tends to match that angle when a person tries to slide the bag onto that device. A bulbous portion  118  that is axially aligned with the body of the rod  102  helps to ensure the fold of a bag  106  is lined up with the rod  102  so that the bag  106  more easily slide into the device  100 . 
         [0028]    The sheath  102  is sized and dimensioned to receive the rod  104 . The embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , as with other preferred embodiments, includes a sheath  102  that is sized such that the rod  104  fits within it with some room to spare. In this way, a bag  106  can fit between the rod  104  and the sheath  102 , effectively creating a compartment of the bag that is not exposed to circulating air. The device  100  prevents air from passing from one side of the bag  106  to the other by cinching it. When a bag  106  is disposed between the rod  104  and the sheath  102 , the rod  104  exerts an outward reaction pressure and the sheath  106  exerts a reaction inward pressure. These combined reaction pressures cause the bag  106  to deform to such an extent that a seal is effectively created. 
         [0029]    Along the length of the sheath  102  are texture features  120 , which provide improved grip for a user. Texture features  120  shown in  FIG. 1  run radially around the circumference of the sheath  102 , but different embodiments can have differently configured texture features. Since the purpose of the texture features is to provide improved grip to someone using a bag sealing device, as long as there is some sort of textured feature on the surface of the sheath the same goal can be accomplished (e.g., zig-zagging textures, bumps, cross-hatch textures, diagonal textures, or some other variation of those). The size, configuration, and placement of texture features  120  is purely a design choice, however the actual existence of these features improves the functioning of the bag sealing device  100 . In addition to the texture features  120 , the sheath  102  also has holes  126  and  128  on its side. Holes  126  and  128  are optional and exist, for example, for aesthetic reasons. 
         [0030]    One end of the sheath  102  is a rod coupling portion  116 , as mentioned briefly above, and on the other end is a bag insertion portion  122 . The bag insertion portion  122  of  FIG. 1  includes an opening that is the result of widening of a slit that runs the length of the sheath (best seen in  FIG. 6 , but present in every embodiment of the bag sealing device). The bag insertion portion  122  has a gradually widening opening that prevents bags from snagging on the device  100  during insertion. 
         [0031]    The rod coupling portion  116 , on the end of the rod  102  opposite the bag insertion portion  122 , is configured to couple with the rod  102 . As mentioned above, the rod has plugs  110  that are sized and dimensioned to fit into plug holes  114  that are formed into the rod coupling portion  116  of the rod  102 . The end of the sheath  102  is preferably flush with the rounded end cap  108  of the rod  102  when the plugs are within the plug holes. When coupled together, the rod is contained mostly within the sheath  102 , except for the rounded end cap  108  and the portion of the rod extending from the sheath  102 . 
         [0032]      FIG. 2  shows an assembled bag sealing device  200  that has a bag  204  inserted into it. 
         [0033]    The bag sealing device  200  of  FIG. 2  is identical to that of  FIG. 1 . The rod of the bag sealing device  200  is contained within sheath  202 . The rod coupling portion  216  of the sheath  202  couples the rod and the sheath  202 . On the rod coupling portion  216  are plug holes  214  that receive plugs  210  disposed on the plug of the rod (shown only by dotted lines as  FIG. 2  is an assembled view). On the end of the plug is the rounded end cap  208  which preferably is adjacent to the end of the rod coupling portion  216  of the sheath  202 . 
         [0034]      FIGS. 3   a - 3   c  show cutaway views of various embodiments of the bag sealing device.  FIG. 3   a , for example, shows a cutaway view of a device  300   a  identical to the devices shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The rod  302   a  in this embodiment has a circular cross-section, and the sheath  304   a  has a matching circular cross-section. A bag  306   a  is shown wrapped around the rod  302   a  within the sheath  304   a  and protruding from the slit  308   a . By wrapping around the rod  302   a  and going into and coming back out of the slit  308   a , the bag is segregated into two portions where each portion is pneumatically segregated from the other. This can be caused by pressure from the sheath  304   a  and rod  302   a  against the bag  306   a  as well as pressure caused by the slit  308   a  cinching the bag  306   a . A reasonable difference between the outer diameter of the rod  302   a  and the inner diameter of the sheath  304   a  should remain so as to leave sufficient room to insert a bag  306   a . Some variation is tolerable to accommodate bags having different thicknesses. In addition to circular cross-sections, it is contemplated that the rod  302   a  and  304   a  could have elliptical cross-sections, so long as there is still sufficient room for the bag  306   a  to fit between the rod  302   a  and the sheath  304   a.    
         [0035]      FIG. 3   b  shows a rod  302   b  and sheath  304   b  having triangular cross-sections with a bag  306   b  protruding from the slit  398   b . The rod  302   b  is shown as having a sharp triangular form, while the sheath  304   b  has a rounded triangular cross-section. Having a sharp triangular cross-section allows the rod  302   b  to direct its reactionary forces to two points on the bag  306   b  within the sheath  304   b . So, when a bag  306   b  is inserted into the device  300   b , the triangular rod effectively cinches off the bag at two separate points. This effect increases the device&#39;s ability to pneumatically segregate one portion of the bag  306   b  from another portion. While  FIG. 3   b  shows the sheath  304   b  with a rounded triangular cross-section, such a configuration is not necessary for the device  300   b  to properly function. The sheath  304   b  could have a pointed triangular cross-section, or it could have an entirely different cross section, such as the circular cross-section of  FIG. 3   a . The important aspect of the interplay between the rod  302   b  and the sheath  304   b  is that the two components interact to pneumatically segregate one portion of the bag  306   b  from another. 
         [0036]      FIG. 3   c  shows a rod  302   c  and sheath  304   c  having triangular cross-sections with a bag  306   c  protruding from the slit  308   c . The rod  302   c  is shown as having a teardrop-shaped cross-section, while the sheath  304   c  has a rounded teardrop-shaped cross-section. Having a sharp teardrop-shaped cross-section allows the rod  302   c  to direct its reactionary forces to a single point on the bag  306   c  within the sheath  304   c . So, when a bag  306   c  is inserted into the device  300   c , the teardrop-shaped rod effectively cinches off the bag at a single point. Having the point of the teardrop facing the opposite direction of the slit  308   c  increases the effectiveness of the desired pneumatic segregation by causing the point of the tear-drop to press against the bag  306   c  right where the bag  306   c  folds over the rod  302   c . While  FIG. 3   c  shows the sheath  304   c  with a rounded teardrop-shaped cross-section, such a configuration is not necessary for the device  300   c  to properly function. The sheath  304   c  could have a pointed teardrop-shaped cross-section, or it could have an entirely different cross section, such as the circular cross-section of the device shown in  FIG. 3   a  or even the triangular cross-section of the device show in  FIG. 3   b . It is important that the rod  302   c  and sheath  304   c  interact such that the two components interact to pneumatically segregate one portion of the bag  306   c  from another. 
         [0037]    Any of the configurations described in  FIGS. 3   a - 3   c  can be implemented in any of the embodiments of  FIGS. 1-2  or  FIGS. 4-6 . 
         [0038]      FIG. 4  shows a disassembled bag sealing device  400 , where the sheath  402  extends away from the rod  404  at the bag insertion portion  422 . This embodiment of the device has all the advantages of a bulbous portion  418  that is axially aligned with the rod and sheath  402 , but by having the bag insertion portion  422  extend away from the rod it is even easier to insert a bag into the device  400 . The opening created by widening the slit combined with the bag insertion portion  422  extending away from the rod significantly reduces the change of a bag getting snagged or caught on any portion of the device  400 . The remaining components of the bag sealing device  400  are identical to the components of the device described in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
         [0039]      FIG. 5  shows an assembled bag sealing device  500  identical to the device shown in  FIG. 4 . The bag sealing device  500  has a sheath  502  and a rod coupled to, and housed within, the sheath  502 . The rod coupling portion  516  of the sheath  502  couples the rod and the sheath  502  such that a bag  504  is sealed upon insertion. On the rod coupling portion  516  are plug holes  514  that receive plugs  510  disposed on the plug of the rod (which can be seen only as dotted lines since  FIG. 5  is an assembled view). On the end of the plug is the rounded end cap  508  which preferably is adjacent to the end of the rod coupling portion  516  of the sheath  502 . The sheath  502  also includes textured portions as described above with respect to the device of  FIG. 1 . 
         [0040]      FIG. 6  shows a bottom view of the bag sealing device  500  shown in  FIG. 5 . This view showcases the slit  506 , which the bag  504  is shown protruding from in  FIG. 5 . In this particular embodiment, the bulbous portion  518  of the rod  512  is partly within the sheath  502  and partly extending from the sheath  502 . In some embodiments, this configuration is preferred, while in other embodiments the bulbous portion  518  can be entirely outside the sheath  502 . 
         [0041]    As used herein, and unless the context dictates otherwise, the term “coupled to” is intended to include both direct coupling (in which two elements that are coupled to each other contact each other) and indirect coupling (in which at least one additional element is located between the two elements). Therefore, the terms “coupled to” and “coupled with” are used synonymously. 
         [0042]    Any of the embodiments described above can be made from a variety of materials, including different types of plastic. Preferably, both the rod and sheath are made from plastic, but one and/or the other can also be made from a ceramic or a metal. Natural products such as hemp-based materials can also be used. Ideally, the bag sealing device is a straight, though some variation in curvature is tolerated. Overall, bag sealing devices described in this application should be stiff enough that they are not easily bent or broken by, for example, a child. Proper function of the device, on the other hand, does not rely on excessive stiffness so there is no requirement that any component be made from a stiff material (such as metal). 
         [0043]    It should be apparent to those skilled in the art that many more modifications besides those already described are possible without departing from the inventive concepts herein. The inventive subject matter, therefore, is not to be restricted except in the spirit of the appended claims. Moreover, in interpreting both the specification and the claims, all terms should be interpreted in the broadest possible manner consistent with the context. In particular, the terms “comprises” and “comprising” should be interpreted as referring to elements, components, or steps in a non-exclusive manner, indicating that the referenced elements, components, or steps may be present, or utilized, or combined with other elements, components, or steps that are not expressly referenced. Where the specification claims refers to at least one of something selected from the group consisting of A, B, C . . . and N, the text should be interpreted as requiring only one element from the group, not A plus N, or B plus N, etc.