Zipper slider pivoting wedge

A bag closure assembly comprising:

• first and second elongate flexible strips securable to marginal portions of a bag opening, one of the strips having a profile portion forming a groove and the other strip having a profile portion forming a rib with a portion received and retained in the groove to hold the strips together, each of the strips having an upper edge adjacent the upper edge of the other strip;
• a slider mounted on the strips and movable in one direction longitudinally of the strips to progressively separate the rib from the groove to separate the strips, and the slider being movable in the opposite direction to progressively return the rib portion to retained condition in the groove to join the strips;
• a separator movably situated in the slider and having a proximal portion hinged to the slider and having a distal portion residing in a first space above the upper edges when the rib portion is retained in the groove;
• the separator distal portion being movable from the first space into position between the rib and the groove to separate the retained portion from the groove as the slider moves in the one direction to separate the strips, but movable out of a position between the rib and the groove as the slider is moved in the opposite direction to permit rejoining of the strips.

A method of opening a zipper-type plastic bag closure assembly and comprising the steps of:

• providing a bag closure assembly comprising two elongate bag-closing zipper strips having interlocking features to keep the strips together for closing a bag to which the strips are securable for bag closure;
• and
• providing on the strips a slider having a separator, with the slider being slidable along the strips from a position thereon during which the strips are interlocked together, to a position thereon in which the strips are separated throughout a portion of their length;
• and
• moving the slider from a bag-closed stop position on the bag-closing zipper strips, in a bag-opening direction;
• and
• pivoting the separator in the slider into position between interlocking features of the strips to separate the strips as the slider is moved in the bag-opening direction.