US20130333226A1

US20130333226A1 - Opener Device

Info

Publication number: US20130333226A1
Application number: US13/917,268
Authority: US
Inventors: Barbara A Greadington; Robert E Sharpton
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2012-06-13
Filing date: 2013-06-13
Publication date: 2013-12-19

Abstract

The present invention comprises a device having two arms connected together at a first end. At the second end of the first arm the device has a gripping member. At the second end of the second arm is a slitting member. The gripping member and slitting member meet together in order to puncture and tear open a snack bag.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Pursuant to the provisions of 37 C.F.R. §1.53(c), this non-provisional application claims the benefit of an earlier-filed provisional patent application. The earlier application was assigned Ser. No. 61/656,624. It lists the same inventor.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

MICROFICHE APPENDIX

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of devices made for opening bags. More specifically, the invention comprises a device having two arms which assist in opening bags.
2. Description of the Related Art
Plastic bags are used for many purposes. One common purpose is to transport and store foods, such as snacks in a sealed form. Bags can be filled with snacks, such as chips, candies, pretzels and peanuts, to name a few. The bags are often closed by heat sealing or treating with adhesive chemicals. These sealing mechanisms can create a seal that is very difficult to open without the assistance of a tool, such as scissors or a knife.
Several devices exist which are specifically designed for the purpose of opening a sealed bag. For example, there are several opening devices which use a sharp edge or razor within a plastic cover. This type of device allows a bag to slide over the razor, cutting a slice through the bag. However, there are no devices which effectively puncture and grasp a bag such that the user can easily tear open the bag. Additionally, there are no devices which use a dull edge permitting use on an airplane or by young children. Therefore, what is needed is a device which allows a snack bag to be punctured, grasped and torn open with ease.
The present invention achieves this objective, as well as others that are explained in the following description.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a bag opening device. The bag opening device has two arms, each having a first end and a second end. The first ends of each arm are connected together such that the arms can pivot together at the second ends of each arm. A gripping member is attached to the second end of the first arm and a slitting member is attached to the second end of the second arm. The gripping member has a gripping surface and a central void. The slitting member has a series of sharpened or pointed prongs. The opener can be used to open bags by placing the bag between the gripping member and the splitting member. As the two ends are pushed together the gripping surface of the gripping member holds the bag taut. One or more of the prongs puncture the bag held between the two arms.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view, showing the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view, showing an expanded view of the gripping member of the present invention,

FIG. 3 is a perspective view, showing an expanded view of the slitting member of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross section view, showing the gripping member and the slitting member of the present invention as they meet together.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view, showing the present invention in use tearing through a snack bag.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view, showing the present invention in use gripping and tearing a snack bag.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view, showing an alternate embodiment of the gripping member.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view, showing an alternate embodiment of the slitting member.


REFERENCE NUMERALS IN THE DRAWINGS

10	device	12	first arm
13	second arm
14	slitting member	16	gripping member
18	connecting piece	20	central void
22	gripping surface	24	central prong
26	outer prong	28	bag
30	user	34	alternate gripping member
36	alternate gripping surface	38	central void
40	alternate slitting member	42	openings
44	edges

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 illustrates the present invention in the preferred embodiment. The device 10 has two arms 12, 13 that are connected together by any known means which allow first arm 12 and second arm 13 to pivot together and apart. First arm 12 and second arm 13 are designed so that the user can easily grip the device. The users hand can fit through opening 42 on each arm 12, 13 for use. Openings 42 on either arm 12, 13 assist the user in gripping and pivoting the arms into position to open a bag or a jar. FIG. 1 also illustrates a connecting piece 18 which connects a first end of first arm 12 and a first end of second arm 13 together. Connecting piece 18 can be any known device which attaches first arm 12 and second arm 13 such that the desired motion can be achieved. One example of a connecting piece 18 is a rivet which secures the first arm 12 and second arm 13.
At the second end of first arm 12 a gripping member 16 is attached. At the second end of second arm 13 a slitting member 14 is attached. Gripping member 16 and slitting member 14 meet when arms 12, 13 hinge together. As illustrated, the device can include a series of arced opening surfaces, or edges 44, for opening bottles or jars. The edges 44 are preferably serrated and located on the inside of each arm 12, 13. The bottle/jar opening surfaces, edges 44, would be arced in varying sizes which would allow the user to open bottles or jars of varying sizes. To open a bottle or jar edges 44 would be applied to the top (or lid) of a bottle or jar and the user would press the two arms 12, 13 together forming a tight partially closed circle around the top (or lid). In order to open the bottle or jar the user would turn the device and hold the bottle or jar in one place. This optional use could be added to give the present device additional functions.
In FIG. 2 a close up vies of the gripping member 16 is shown. Gripping member 16 is attached to the inside surface of first arm 12. Gripping member 16 can be attached by any method which fixes gripping member 16 in place on first arm 12. It is preferable that gripping member 16 has a central void 20. Gripping surface 22 is designed to contact bag (shown in FIG. 5) and hold the bag in place so that it can be punctured and torn.
As illustrated in FIG. 3, slitting member 14 is attached to the inside surface of second arm 13. Slitting member 14 preferably has three prongs, two outer prongs 26 and one central prong 24. Slitting member 14 is preferably made of a hard plastic sharpened or narrowed at the ends of the prongs. Although the prongs could he made to be very sharp, it is preferable that the ends of prongs 24, 26 are merely narrowed to a dull point which would not be capable of cutting a user's skin. Slitting member 14 can be any shape, having at least one prong, such that the snack bag is easily punctured. In order to easily puncture the snack bag, the slitter 14 is pushed through the bag opposite an open space (central void 20), while the snack bag is held flat against the surface of the pointed slitter member 14. The central void 20 on gripping member 16 allows even a dull surface to penetrate through the snack bag which is held taut against the gripping member 16. This is more clearly illustrated in a cross section view in FIG. 4, which shows the placement of the slitter 14 opposite of the gripping member 16 when arms 12, 13 are hinged together.
FIG. 5 shows the present invention in use. A snack bag 28 is placed between arms 12, 13 specifically between slitting member 14 and gripping member 16. The user presses aims 12, 13 toward one another (along a single plane). As the user presses arms 12, 13 together gripping member 16 grabs the bag 28 and holds it taut against gripping surface 22. As illustrated in FIG. 6, the user 30 can gently grasp bag 28 with one hand 30 and device 10 with other hand (not shown) and slowly tear bag 28 in order to access the food or materials within. Gripping member 16 is capable of holding bag 28 in place, as the opening is widened by the user.
The illustration in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 portrays an alternate embodiment of an alternate gripping member 34 and an alternate slitting member 40, respectively. In FIG. 7 alternate gripping member 34 is in a horseshoe shape which still allows for a central void 38. Gripping surface 36 is preferably textured such that the snack bag is held securely as the puncturing of the bag occurs. In FIG. 8 alternate slitting member 40 is shown with two prongs as opposed to three. Alternate slitting member 40 still has a sharpened or pointed surface in order to puncture the snack bag.
The preceding description contains significant detail regarding the novel aspects of the present invention. It should not be construed, however, as limiting the scope of the invention but rather as providing. illustrations of the preferred embodiments of the invention. As an example, the arms 12, 13 may not include openings 42 and could be various different shapes. Thus, the scope of the invention should be fixed by the following claims, rather than by the examples given.

Claims

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. An opener device for assisting a user with opening, a bag, comprising:

a. a first arm, having a first end and a second end;

b. a second arm, having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end of said first arm and said second end of said second arm are connected together;

c. a gripping member attached to said second end of said first arm;

d. a slitting member attached to said second end of said second arm;

e. wherein said gripping member and said slitting member meet together when said first arm and said second arm are pivoted together.

2. An opener device as recited in claim 1, wherein said gripping member further comprises a central void and a gripping surface.

3. An opener device as recited in claim 1, wherein said slitting member further comprises a central prong and at least two outer prongs.

4. An opener device as recited in claim 1, wherein said slitting member further comprises at least two prongs.

5. An opener device as recited in claim 1, further comprising a connecting piece connecting said first end of said first arm to said first end of said second arm.

6. An opener device as recited m claim 5, wherein said connecting piece is a rivet.

7. An opener device as recited in claim 1, wherein said first arm and said second arm further comprise an opening for said user to grasp said device.

8. An opener device as recited in claim 1, wherein said device is made of a hardened plastic.

9. An opener device as recited in claim 1, wherein said first arm and said second arm further comprise an edge having a series of arcs.

10. An opener device for assisting a user with opening a bag, comprising:

a. a first arm and a second arm pivotably connected together at a connecting piece

b. wherein said first arm further comprises a gripping member;

c. wherein said second arm further comprises a slitting member;

d. wherein said gripping member and said slitting member meet together and are capable of gripping and puncturing said bag.

11. An opener device as recited in claim 10, wherein said gripping member further comprises a central void and a gripping surface.

12. An opener device as recited in claim 10, wherein said slitting member further comprises a central prong and at least two outer prongs.

13. An opener device as recited in claim 10, wherein said slitting member further comprises at least two prongs.

14. An opener device as recited in claim 10, wherein said connecting piece is a rivet.

15. An opener device as recited in claim 10, wherein said first arm and said second arm further comprise an opening for said user to grasp said device.

16. An opener device as recited in claim 10, wherein said device is made of a hardened plastic.

17. An opener device as recited in claim 10, wherein said first arm and said second arm further comprise an edge having a series of arcs.

18. An opener device for opening a bag, comprising

a. a first arm and a second arm pivotably connected together at a connecting piece;

b. wherein said first arm further comprises a gripping member having a central void and a gripping surface;

c. wherein said second arm further comprises a slitting member having at least one prong; and

d. wherein said first arm and said second arm are capable of pivoting together such that said gripping member and said slitting member meet causing said at least one prong of said slitting member to enter said central void of said gripping member.

19. An opener device as recited in claim 18, wherein said slitting member further comprises a central prong and at least two outer prongs.

20. An opener device as recited in claim 18, wherein said first arm and said second arm further comprise an edge having a series of arcs.