US20130236608A1

US20130236608A1 - Bag device

Info

Publication number: US20130236608A1
Application number: US13/789,647
Authority: US
Inventors: Ronnie J. Ingram
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2012-03-08
Filing date: 2013-03-07
Publication date: 2013-09-12

Abstract

A bag device that includes a clip, a rod, one or more torsion springs and a bag. The clip has a front facing that a first plurality of buttons, a second plurality of buttons and a third plurality of buttons are disposed on. The first buttons include 12 month buttons each displaying a number 1 to 12 and can be depressed to indicate the month that the bag device is utilized. The second buttons include 4 week buttons each displaying a number 1 to 4 that can be depressed to indicate a week that the bag device is utilized. The third buttons include 7 day buttons each displaying a number 1 to 7 that can be depressed to indicate a day that the bag device is utilized. The bag can be a colored-coded freezer bag or a transparent freezer bag.

Description

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application 61/608,477 filed on Mar. 8, 2012, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is a bag and attachment device. More specifically, the present invention is a bag device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many households utilize bags to contain and freeze a wide variety of foods. Often these bags are freezer bags and are not properly sealed or secured closed and are not accurately dated if dated at all. A user can hold their freezer door open for an extended period of time while searching through their freezer to find a specific bag among other bags in their freezer. Additionally a user cannot determine what types of food items are contained in their bags due to accumulated frost and other factors.
The present invention allows a user to securely close a bag with a food item contained in the bag, to accurately date a bag, to easily determine what type of food item is contained in the bag and to reduce the amount of time a user would keep a freezer door open while looking for a specific bag. The present invention also provides a clip that accurately dates a bag that can be utilized in combination with a color-coded or a transparent bag.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a bag and attachment device. More specifically, the present invention is a bag device such as a freezer bag device.
The bag device allows a user to securely close a bag such as a freezer bag with a food item contained in the bag, to accurately date a bag, to easily determine what type of food item is contained in the bag and to reduce the amount of time a user would keep a freezer door open while looking for a specific bag. The bag device also provides a clip that can be utilized separately from the bag device that accurately dates a bag that can be utilized in combination with an existing color-coded bag or an existing transparent bag.
The bag device includes a clip, a rod, one or more torsion springs and a bag. The clip has a first portion and a second portion. The first portion has a front facing that a first plurality of buttons, a second plurality of buttons and a third plurality of buttons are disposed on. The first buttons include 12 month buttons each displaying a number 1 to 12 and can be depressed to indicate the month that the bag device is utilized. The second buttons include 4 week buttons each displaying a number 1 to 4 that can be depressed to indicate a week that the bag device is utilized. The third buttons include 7 day buttons each displaying a number 1 to 7 that can be depressed to indicate a day that the bag device is utilized. The bag can be a colored-coded bag that indicates a color that corresponds to a type of food item contained in the bag device. The bag can also be a transparent bag as well.
The clip from the bag device can be attached to any existing bag such as an existing color-coded bag or an existing transparent bag.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a bag device that allows a user to securely close a bag with a food item contained in the bag, to accurately date a bag and to easily determine what type of food item is contained in the bag.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a bag device that reduces the amount of time a user would keep a freezer door open while looking for a specific bag.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a bag device that accurately dates a bag that can be utilized in combination with a color-coded bag or a transparent bag.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a clip that can be attached to any existing bag such as an existing color-coded bag or an existing transparent bag.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be described by way of exemplary embodiments, but not limitations, illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like references denote similar elements, and in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a front environmental view of a bag device, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a front exploded perspective view of a bag device, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates a front perspective view of a bag device, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 illustrates a side environmental view of a bag clip, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 illustrates a front view of a bag clip, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

Various aspects of the illustrative embodiments will be described using terms commonly employed by those skilled in the art to convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced with only some of the described aspects. For purposes of explanation, specific numbers, materials and configurations are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the illustrative embodiments. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without the specific details. In other instances, well-known features are omitted or simplified in order not to obscure the illustrative embodiments.
Various operations will be described as multiple discrete operations, in turn, in a manner that is most helpful in understanding the present invention, however, the order of description should not be construed as to imply that these operations are necessarily order dependent. In particular, these operations need not be performed in the order of presentation.
The phrase “in one embodiment” is used repeatedly. The phrase generally does not refer to the same embodiment, however, it may. The terms “comprising”, “having” and “including” are synonymous, unless the context dictates otherwise.
FIG. 1 illustrates a front environmental view of a bag device 100, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The bag device 100 contains one or more food items 110 such as one or more meat items, one or more chicken items, one or more pork items, one or more seafood items, one or more vegetable items or other suitable food items or combination of food items. The bag device 100 and the food item 110 are typically placed in a freezer (not shown) to safely freeze and store the food item 110. The bag device 100 and the food item 110 can also be placed in a refrigerator (not shown) to safely refrigerate and store the food item 110 or placed on a shelf (not shown) or other suitable area to simply store the food item 110.
FIG. 2 illustrates a front exploded perspective view of a bag device 200, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The bag device 200 includes a clip 210, a rod 220, one or more torsion springs 230 and a bag 240. The clip 210 has a first portion 212 and a second portion 214. The first portion 212 has a front facing 216 that a first plurality of buttons 213, a second plurality of buttons 215 and a third plurality of buttons 217 are disposed on. The first buttons 213, the second buttons 215 and the third buttons 217 can be depressed and remain depressed thereby indicating a date that the bag device 200 is utilized. The first buttons 213, the second buttons 215 and the third buttons 217 are also reusable and can be easily returned to an original undepressed state. The first buttons 213 include 12 month buttons 213′ each displaying a number 1 to 12 and can be depressed to indicate the month that the bag device 200 is utilized. The 12 month buttons 213′ correspond to a month of the year that the bag device 200 is utilized. For example, the number 1 button can be depressed to indicate that the bag device 200 is utilized in January, the number 2 button can be depressed to indicate that the bag device 200 is utilized in February and the number 3 button can be depressed to indicate that the bag device 200 is utilized in March and so on sequentially for each of the 12 months of the year. The second buttons 215 include 4 week buttons 215′ each displaying a number 1 to 4 that can be depressed to indicate a week that the bag device 200 is utilized. The 4 week buttons 215′ correspond to a week of the month that the bag device 200 is utilized. For example, the number 1 button can be depressed to indicate that the bag device 200 is utilized in the first week of a month, the number 2 button can be depressed to indicate that the bag device 200 is utilized in the second week of the month and the number 3 button can be depressed to indicate that the bag device 200 is utilized in the third week of the month and so on sequentially for each of the 4 weeks of the month. The third buttons 217 include 7 day buttons 217′ each displaying a number 1 to 7 that can be depressed to indicate a day that the bag device 200 is utilized. The 7 day buttons 217′ correspond to a day of the week that the bag device 200 is utilized. For example, the number 1 button can be depressed to indicate that the bag device 200 is utilized on a first day of the week, the number 2 button can be depressed to indicate that the bag device 200 is utilized on the second day of the week and the number 3 button can be depressed to indicate that the bag device 200 is utilized on the third day of the week and so on sequentially for each of the 7 days of the week. The clip 210 allows a user to date their bag 240 without using a pen, a marker or other writing instrument.
The first portion 212 and the second portion 214 of the clip 210 each have a pair of corresponding apertures 218. The first portion 212 and the second portion 214 of the clip 210 are made of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene or ABS or any other suitable material and the first buttons 213, the second buttons 215 and the third buttons 217 are made of silicon or other suitable material, The rod 220 is extended through each of the pair of corresponding apertures 218 to connect the first portion 212 and the second portion 214 of the clip 210 and allow the first portion 212 and the second portion 214 of the clip 210 to rotate when depressed by a user. The rod 220 is made of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene or ABS or any other suitable material. The one or more springs 230 each have an aperture 232 that the rod 220 is extended through to provide tension on the first portion 212 and the second portion 214 of the clip 210. The one or more springs 230 are made of steel or any other suitable material. The bag 240 is a colored-coded freezer bag 242 that indicate a color 250 that corresponds to a type 260 of food item 210 contained in the bag device 200. The bag 240 can be a freezer bag 240 a or other suitable bag. The color 250 can be red, yellow, pink, blue or other suitable colors and the type 260 of food item 210 can be beef, chicken, pork, seafood or any other suitable type of food item. The color 250 can be translucent or opaque by way of tinting or printing or other suitable process. A red freezer bag 241 is color-coded to contain beef, a yellow freezer bag 243 is color-coded to contain chicken, a pink freezer bag 244 is color-coded to contain pork and a blue freezer bag 245 is color-coded to contain seafood. The bag 240 can also contain other suitable colors and suitable types of food items as well. The bag 240 is made of polypropylene but can be made of any suitable material. The bag 240 can be any suitable size and dimensions. The bag device 200 and clip 210 can be utilized in combination with other types of bags other than bags. A plurality of bags 240 can be packaged together in a suitable package (not shown) as well that is separate from the bag device 200. The plurality of bags 240 can have a plurality of colors 250 such as two colors, three colors, four colors, five colors or any other suitable number of colors packaged together in a suitable package 255.
FIG. 3 illustrates a front perspective view of a bag device 300, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The bag device 300 includes a clip 310, a rod 320, one or more torsion springs 330 and a bag 340. The clip 310, the rod 320 and the one or more torsion springs 330 illustrated in FIG. 3 are similar to the clip 210, the rod 220 and the one or more torsion springs 230 illustrated in FIG. 2. The bag 340 illustrated in FIG. 3 utilizes a transparent freezer bag 342 in contrast to the colored-coded freezer bag 242 utilized in FIG. 2. The transparent freezer bag 342 allows a user to see what one or more food items 210 are contained in the transparent freezer bag 342. The bag 340 is made of polypropylene but can be made of any suitable material.
In one embodiment of the bag device, the bag device allows a user to securely close a bag with a food item contained in the bag, to accurately date the bag and to easily determine what type of food item is contained in the bag.
In one embodiment of the bag device, the bag device reduces the amount of time a user would keep a freezer door open while looking for a specific bag.
In another embodiment of the clip of the bag device, the clip accurately dates a bag that can be utilized in combination with a color-coded bag or a transparent bag.
FIG. 4 illustrates a side environmental view of a bag clip 400, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The bag clip 400 illustrated in FIG. 4 secures and dates a bag 400 that can be a colored-coded freezer bag 242, a transparent freezer bag 342 or other suitable freezer bag. The bag clip 400 illustrated in FIG. 4 includes a clip 410, a rod 420 and one or more torsion springs 430 that are similar to the clip 210, the rod 220 and the one or more torsion springs 230 illustrated in FIG. 2. The bag clip 400 is reusable and removable from any attached bag 400.
FIG. 5 illustrates a front view of a bag clip 500, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The bag clip 500 illustrated in FIG. 5 includes a clip 510, a rod 520 and one or more torsion springs 530 that are similar to the clip 210, the rod 220 and the one or more torsion springs 230 illustrated in FIG. 2. The bag clip 500 illustrated in FIG. 5 secures and dates a bag (FIG. 4, 400) that can be a colored-coded freezer bag (FIG. 2, 242), a transparent freezer bag (FIG. 3, 342) or other suitable freezer bag. The bag clip 500 is reusable and removable from any attached bag (FIG. 4, 400).
Use of the bag device 100 is straightforward. A user can obtain a bag device 100 and place a desired food item 110 in the bag 240. If the bag 240 is a color coded freezer bag 242, the food item 110 contained in the bag 240 must correspond to the color 250 on the bag 240. A clip 210 is attached to the bag 240 and a first plurality of reusable buttons 213, a second plurality of reusable buttons 215 and a third plurality of reusable buttons 217 disposed on a front facing 216 of the first portion 212 of the clip 210 are depressed to indicate a date that the bag 240 is placed in a freezer or other suitable area. The first reusable buttons 213, the second reusable buttons 215 and the third reusable buttons 217 remain depressed thereby indicating a date that the bag device 200 is utilized.
While the present invention has been related in terms of the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention is not limited to the embodiments described. The present invention can be practiced with modification and alteration within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Thus, the description is to be regarded as illustrative instead of restrictive on the present invention.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A bag device, comprising:

a clip having a first portion with a front facing and a second portion, the first portion and the second portion each include a pair of corresponding apertures, the front facing having a first plurality of reusable buttons, a second plurality of reusable buttons and a third plurality of reusable buttons disposed on the front facing and the first reusable buttons, the second reusable buttons and the third reusable buttons are depressed to indicate a date that the bag device is utilized;

a rod extended to go through the pair of corresponding apertures to connect the first portion and the second portion of the clip and to allow the first portion and the second portion of the clip to rotate;

one or more torsion springs having an aperture that the rod is extended through, the one or more torsion springs to provide tension on the first portion and the second portion of the clip; and

a bag connected to the clip, the bag containing one or more food items and the bag is a color-coded freezer bag having a color that corresponds to the one or more food items contained in the bag device.

2. The bag device according to claim 1, wherein the first reusable buttons include 12 month buttons that indicate a month that the bag device is utilized.

3. The bag device according to claim 1, wherein the second reusable buttons include 4 week buttons that indicate a week that the bag device is utilized.

4. The bag device according to claim 1, wherein the third reusable buttons include 7 day buttons that indicate a day that the bag device is utilized.

5. The bag device according to claim 1, wherein the rod is made of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene.

6. The bag device according to claim 1, wherein the one or more springs are made of steel.

7. The bag device according to claim 1, wherein the colored-coded freezer bag is a red freezer bag that contains beef.

8. The bag device according to claim 1, wherein the colored-coded freezer bag is a yellow freezer bag that contains chicken.

9. The bag device according to claim 1, wherein the colored-coded freezer bag is a pink freezer bag that contains pork.

10. The bag device according to claim 1, wherein the colored-coded freezer bag is a blue freezer bag that contains seafood.

11. The bag device according to claim 1, wherein the colored-coded freezer bag is a green freezer bag that contains one or more vegetables.

12. The bag device according to claim 1, wherein the colored-coded freezer bag is made of polypropylene.

13. The bag device according to claim 1, wherein the bag is a transparent freezer bag.

14. The bag device according to claim 13, wherein the transparent freezer bag is made of polypropylene.

15. The bag device according to claim 1, wherein the one or more food items are a selected one of one or more meat items, one or more chicken items, one or more pork items, one or more seafood items and one or more vegetable items.

16. The bag device according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of the bags having a plurality of the colors packaged together in a package.

17. A bag clip, comprising:

a first portion having a front facing and a second portion, the first portion and the second portion each include a pair of corresponding apertures, the front facing having a first plurality of reusable buttons, a second plurality of reusable buttons and a third plurality of reusable buttons disposed on the front facing and the first reusable buttons, the second reusable buttons and the third reusable buttons are depressed to indicate a date that the bag device is utilized;

a rod extended to go through the pair of corresponding apertures to connect the first portion and the second portion of the clip and to allow the first portion and the second portion of the clip to rotate; and

one or more torsion springs having an aperture that the rod is extended through, the one or more torsion springs to provide tension on the first portion and the second portion of the clip.

18. The bag clip according to claim 17, wherein the first reusable buttons include 12 month buttons that indicate a month that the bag device is utilized.

19. The bag clip according to claim 17, wherein the second reusable buttons include 4 week buttons that indicate a week that the bag device is utilized.

20. The bag clip according to claim 17, wherein the third reusable buttons include 7 day buttons that indicate a day that the bag device is utilized.