Storage Bag Closure Profile Textured Grasping Area

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Solution Overview

Problem

Storage bags with zipper-like closure mechanisms are difficult to seal and unseal due to slick surfaces and lack of clear grasping areas, making it hard to distinguish between bags, especially in crowded storage environments.

Innovation Solution

The storage bag features textured and untextured areas on the closure profiles, along with colored lips and dimples, to provide visual and tactile cues for easy grasping and sealing, and distinct visual cues for differentiation between bags.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the closure mechanism uses smooth plastic surfaces, then the sealing structure is simple to manufacture, but the surfaces are difficult to grasp and seal

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveclosure mechanism manufacturingVSAvoidgrasping and sealing

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The closure profile incorporates textured areas at specific locations (grasping portions) while maintaining smooth surfaces in other areas. This localized texturing provides enhanced grip exactly where the user needs to grasp the bag, without complicating the overall manufacturing process or affecting the sealing functionality of the smooth interlocking members.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Quantity of substance

If multiple storage bags are stored together, then storage capacity is maximized, but it becomes difficult to distinguish between bags

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestorage capacityVSAvoidbag identification

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The closure profile includes colored portions that serve as visual identifiers for the storage bag. These colored areas are integrated into the closure structure itself, allowing users to quickly distinguish between different bags when multiple are stored together, without adding separate identification components that would increase complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #32Color changes

3Reliability

If the interlocking members are made fully engaged throughout their length, then the seal is more reliable, but the sealing process becomes more difficult without proper technique

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveseal integrityVSAvoidsealing technique

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The textured grasping portions are positioned to guide the user's fingers to the optimal starting location for sealing. This preliminary positioning ensures that users can easily initiate the sealing process at the correct spot, facilitating proper engagement of the interlocking members throughout their length without requiring knowledge of complex sealing techniques.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS9114914B2Storage bag with textured area on lips to facilitate closing process

Publication Date: 2015.08.25 SC JOHNSON & SON INC

AI summary

A storage bag has first and second closure profiles that include interlocking members configured to seal an opening of the bag. A textured area is provided on the first closure profile adjacent to the interlocking member and adjacent to an end of the first closure profile. The textured area provides a visual cue to indicate that the process of sealing the interlocking members should begin at the end of the first closure profile and move towards a center of the bag.