CLIP SET WITH ATTACHABLE CLIPS

Abstract

A bag resealing clip set comprising two or more bag resealing clips, including a main clip and one or more auxiliary clips, the main clip comprising an attachment member for removably attaching the one or more auxiliary clips without opening the main clip.

Claims

1. A bag resealing clip set comprising two or more bag resealing clips, including a main clip and one or more auxiliary clips, the main clip comprising an attachment member for removably attaching the one or more auxiliary clips without opening the main clip.

2. The bag resealing clip set of claim 1 comprising a plurality of auxiliary clips.

3. The bag resealing clip set of claim 1 wherein the attachment member comprises a plurality of attachment components.

4. The bag resealing clip set of claim 3 wherein the attachment member cooperates with a cooperating element on at least one of the one or more auxiliary clips.

5. The bag resealing clip set of claim 1 wherein the main clip further comprises a recess within which one or more of the one or more auxiliary clips are attached.

6. The bag resealing clip set of claim 5 wherein the attachment member is located within the recess.

7. The bag resealing clip set of claim 1 wherein the one or more auxiliary clips are oriented in the direction of the main clip when attached to the main clip.

8. The bag resealing clip set of claim 2 wherein each of the plurality of auxiliary clips are oriented in the direction of the main clip when attached to the main clip.

9. The bag resealing clip set of claim 1 wherein the main clip comprises cooperating arms with clamping ends and activation ends and the attachment member is located on the clamping end of at least one of the cooperating arms.

10. The bag resealing clip set of claim 1 wherein the main clip comprises cooperating arms with clamping ends and activation ends, the clamping end comprising a recess in which the attachment member is located and within which one or more of the one or more auxiliary clips are attached.

11. The bag resealing clip set of claim 10 wherein the recess covers the majority of the clamping end of the cooperating arm.

12. The bag resealing clip set of claim 11 wherein the one or more auxiliary clips fill the recess on the main clip.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] The attached drawings are intended to better illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present invention without limiting the invention in any manner whatsoever.

[0021] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention with the auxiliary clips attached to the main clip.

[0022] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1.

[0023] FIG. 3A is a top plan view of the preferred embodiment of the main clip of the present invention shown in FIG. 1.

[0024] FIG. 3B is a bottom plan view of the preferred embodiment of main clip of the present invention shown in FIG. 1.

[0025] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention with the auxiliary clips attached to the main clip.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0026] The following description of the preferred embodiment is presented to describe the present invention without limiting the scope of the appended claims in any manner whatsoever.

[0027] The clip set 2 of the preferred embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-3B is comprised of a main clip 4 and a plurality of auxiliary clips 4 attached to the main clip 4 by attachment members 8.

[0028] As best shown in FIG. 2, the main clip 4 is formed of first and second cooperating arms 14, each having a clamping end and an activation end separated by fulcrums 18. An axel 10 is inserted through the fulcrums 9 of the cooperating arms 14 to create a hinge, allowing the cooperating arms 14 to rotate relative to one another about the axel 10. A spring 12 biases the clamping ends of the cooperating arms 14 toward each other to maintain the clamping ends in closed relation for holding a bag in a sealed state. Additionally, the main clip 4 preferably includes a magnet 22 for use on a metallic surface, such as a refrigerator. The magnet 22 on the main clip 4 should be strong enough to support the mother clip 2 and auxiliary clips 4 on such a vertical metallic surface.

[0029] The auxiliary clips 6 are each similarly formed of cooperating arms 20 with clamping ends and activation ends separated by fulcrums 18, axels 10 for rotation of the cooperating arms 20 relative to each other, and springs 12 for biasing the clamping ends of the cooperating arms 20 together. The auxiliary clips 6 are all preferably of the same dimensions, so that any of the auxiliary clips 6 can fit into any of the spaces of the attachment members 8 for receiving an auxiliary clip 6 on the main clip 4.

[0030] The preferred embodiment shown includes attachment members 8 within a recess 16 on just one of the corresponding arms 14 of the main clip 4, however, it is understood that attachment members 8 can be on both of the corresponding arms 14 if desired. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3A, the recess 16 for receiving the auxiliary clips 6 is located along the clamping end of the first arm 14. Most preferably, the clamping end of the main clip cooperating arm 14 is dimensioned to the number and shape of the auxiliary clips 6 that are to be housed thereon.

[0031] Although not necessary to the present invention, the auxiliary clips 6 are preferably lined up serially along the clamping end of the first arm 14 of the main clip 4, with the clamping ends of the auxiliary clips 6 oriented in the direction of the clamping end of the main clip 4.

[0032] The attachment members 8 can take any form, but are here shown to be a number of attachment components formed as detents placed within the recess 14 to engage the corners of the auxiliary clips 6, so that the auxiliary clips 6 can snap-in and out of the main clip 4. Of course, the attachment means 8 can comprise cooperating elements on the main clip 4 and auxiliary clips 6, as mentioned above.

[0033] For example, a magnetic attachment member 8, it is preferred that the auxiliary clips 6 include magnets on the rear arm 20 and the floor of the recess 16 on the arm 14 of the main clip 4 be formed of a metallic surface that can hold the auxiliary clips 6 on the main clip 4.

[0034] In another example, shown in FIG. 4, the attachment member 8 is a ridge or bar that extends across the clamping end of the cooperating arm 14 of the main clip 4 so that the clamping ends of the auxiliary clips 6 can be affixed to the attachment member 8. Such a ridge or bar is preferably used in combination with the recess 16 on the cooperating arm 14 to properly position the auxiliary clips 6 when all of the auxiliary clips 6 are retained on the main clip 4.

[0035] The main clip 4 should be able to both retain the auxiliary clips 6 and be used to reseal a bag both independently and at the same time. In keeping, it is preferred that the auxiliary clips 6 are docked in such a way that they do not interfere with the user engaging and manipulating the activation end of the main clip 4 for sealing or unsealing bags.

[0036] Embodiments of the invention may allow for a plurality of different sized auxiliary clips 6 that can be attached to the same or different attachment members 8 on the main clip 4. Such an embodiment may have distinct areas for particularly sized auxiliary clips 6, where a particular auxiliary clip 6 is attached at a specific location on the main clip 4 or the use of an attachment member 8 that is adapted to receive auxiliary clips 6 of different sizes.

[0037] Variations, modifications and alterations to the above detailed description will be apparent to those skilled in the art. All such variations, modifications and/or alternatives are intended to fall within the scope of the present invention, limited only by the appended claims. All cited patents and publications are hereby incorporated by reference.