US 10,292,471 B2 · Bag expanders

Abstract

A bag expander is preliminarily inserted into a bag when the bag is in a compressed condition, such as for shipping and/or storage. The expander is expanded within the bag when the bag is to be expanded such as for purposes of display for sale. The expander includes side walls which are positionable against the bag interior and coupling members articularly connected together and to the side walls. One or more rubber bands or other spring mechanisms are coupled to the members to urge them apart when the expansion is desired. The members are folded when the bag is compressed and expanded by the rubber band or the like to expand the bag to its expanded displayable condition. Sliding mechanisms are connected either (a) on and within the interior of the members or (b) between the members and the side walls to provide a selected sliding movement (a) amongst the members themselves or (b) between the members and the side walls to enable the expander to be placed in its collapsed or extended position.

Claims31

Dependent claims

A bag expander for enabling its insertion into a bag when the bag is in a compressed condition and its expansion of the bag when the bag is to be positioned into an expanded deployed condition, comprising:

side walls positionable against the bag interior;
members articularly connected together and coupled to said side walls to form articulate connections therebetween, in which said articulate connections include axle pins wherein each said axle pin comprises a pair of parallely extending legs joined together by a plurality of spaced connecting pieces forming connecting points;
an expansion motivator associated with said members enabling expansion thereof from the bag compressed condition to its expanded condition, wherein said side walls are thus enabled to remain in contact with the bag interior, said members having a folded condition when the bag is in its compressed condition and having an expanded condition when the bag is in its expanded deployed condition;
sliding mechanisms associated with said members and said side walls providing a selected sliding movement thereamongst enabling the insertion and expansion;
and
said axle pins having said connecting points which are formed at ends of each of said parallely extending legs for receiving said expansion motivator and for being biased thereby.

3 more elements

A bag expander method for enabling insertion of a bag expander into a bag when the bag is in a compressed condition and for enabling expansion of the bag when the bag is to be positioned into an expanded deployed condition, comprising the steps of:

positioning side walls against the bag interior;
articularly connecting members together and to the side walls for enabling the side walls to remain in contact with the bag interior and for enabling the insertion and expansion, in which said articularly connecting step includes the step of axially pinning by use of a pair of parallely extending legs joined together by a plurality of spaced connecting pieces forming connecting points;
placing the members in a folded condition when the bag is in its compressed condition and in an expanded condition when the bag is in its expanded deployed condition;
associating a sliding mechanism with the members and the side walls to provide a selected sliding movement thereamongst in association with the insertion and expansion enabling;
and
motivating expansion of the members to enable the expansion.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Bag expanders

Life of this patent

Bag expanders

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims31