Storage Bag Closure Flanges With Ridges for Easier Wet-Hand Opening
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing reclosable plastic storage bags with press-to-close closures can be difficult for consumers with varying finger and thumb sizes, dexterity, or when hands are wet, to properly grip the flanges for opening due to inadequate gripping features.
Innovation Solution
The storage bags feature enhanced gripping features on the flanges, including ridges and beads that extend from both sides of the base strip, forming geometric shapes like +, shark fin, or diamond, with beads at the free end to provide a secure grip and visual indication, ensuring easy opening.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional smooth flanges are used in press-to-close closures, then the closure mechanism is simple and easy to manufacture, but users have difficulty gripping the flanges to open the bag, especially when hands are wet or users have limited dexterity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by adding gripping features (ridges and beads) only to specific locations on the flanges where user contact is needed, rather than changing the entire flange structure. The ridges extend from the interior and exterior sides of the base strip at intervals, and beads are positioned at the free end, providing localized grip enhancement while keeping the rest of the closure mechanism simple and unchanged
2Ease of operation
If gripping features are added to the flanges to improve user grip, then ease of opening is improved, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses parameter changes by modifying the physical geometry of the flange surface through extrusion or molding processes that create ridges and beads. These are standard plastic forming operations that change the surface parameters (adding dimensional features) without requiring complex assembly steps or additional materials, thus improving grip while maintaining manufacturing simplicity
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure is directed to plastic storage bags with grip features incorporated into the closure. The grip features improve a user's ability to grip the closure during opening of the plastic storage bag. The grip features also improve a user's ability to grip the closure during filling of the plastic storage bag when the closure is in its normal configuration or when rolled down the sides of the plastic bag.