Resealable childproof bag system and method

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a method for opening a resealable childproof bag designed to provide an effective yet child-resistant access mechanism. The bag includes first and second sidewalls, each with an upper portion, and first and second locking members attached to the inner surfaces of the respective sidewalls. The method includes locating an interruption in the first locking member, which is interlocked with the second locking member. The method further includes applying outward forces to the locking members at the interruption to initiate a rotating motion facilitated by the unattached upper portion of the first sidewall. This motion enables the disengagement of the locking members, allowing the bag to be opened. The interruption is discreetly designed to be non-obvious to children, ensuring childproof functionality, while adults can easily identify and operate the opening mechanism.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for opening a resealable childproof bag, comprising:
 identifying an interruption in a first locking member interlocked with a second locking member, wherein the first locking member is provided on a first closure element disposed at a first sidewall of the resealable childproof bag, and the second locking member is provided on a second closure element disposed at a second sidewall of the resealable childproof bag;   applying a first outward force adjacent to the interruption on the first locking member;   applying a second outward force on the second locking member opposite the first outward force;   wherein the upper portion of the first sidewall is unattached from the upper portion of the first closure element to facilitate a rotating motion upon the application of the outward forces.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the rotating motion is counterclockwise for the first sidewall and clockwise for the second sidewall. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second locking members are bonded to the respective first and second sidewalls of the bag, except at the upper portion of the first sidewall which remains unattached. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second locking members include a male interlocking profile and a female interlocking profile. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the interruption in the first locking member is positioned between the left and right ends of the bag opening to provide a graspable area for the user. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the interruption has a length sufficient to allow a user's finger to facilitate the opening motion. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second outward forces are applied in a direction generally perpendicular to an axis passing through the interlocked locking members, and the unattached upper portion of the first sidewall facilitates a peeling motion. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the first locking member includes an elongate channel-shaped female interlocking profile and the second locking member includes an elongate arrow-shaped male interlocking profile. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the interruption is situated closer to one end of the bag assembly to facilitate an easier opening by an adult user. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the interruption is designed to be non-obvious to children, thereby providing a childproof feature to the bag. 
     
     
         11 . A method for opening a resealable childproof bag, the bag comprising a first sidewall and a second sidewall, the method comprising:
 locating an interruption in a first locking member interlocked with a second locking member, wherein the first locking member is provided on a first closure element disposed at a first sidewall of the resealable childproof bag, and the second locking member is provided on a second closure element disposed at a second sidewall of the resealable childproof bag, and wherein the interruption is located at a predetermined position along the length of the bag assembly;   applying a first outward force to the first closure element at the interruption;   applying a second outward force to the second closure element at a position corresponding to the interruption to disengage the locking members;   wherein the upper portion of the first sidewall is unattached from the upper portion of the first closure element to enable a rotating motion upon the application of the outward forces.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the rotating motion assists in the disengagement of the locking members by providing a peeling effect. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first and second locking members are made of thermoplastic material. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the interruption has a length between approximately 0.25 inches and 1.0 inch. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the interruption provides a discreet location for a user to apply the outward forces, and the unattached upper portion of the first sidewall allows for a peeling motion to initiate the opening. 
     
     
         16 . A method for opening a resealable childproof bag, the bag comprising a first sidewall and a second sidewall, each sidewall having an upper portion, the method comprising:
 locating an interruption in a first locking member interlocked with a second locking member, wherein the first locking member is attached to an inner surface of the first sidewall and the second locking member is attached to an inner surface of the second sidewall;   applying a first outward force to the first locking member at the area of the interruption;   applying a second outward force to the second locking member at a corresponding area to the interruption;   wherein an upper portion of the first sidewall is unattached from the upper portion of the first locking member to facilitate a rotating motion of the first sidewall upon the application of the outward forces, thereby disengaging the first and second locking members.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the forces are applied in a direction generally perpendicular to an axis of the interlocked locking members, and the unattached upper portion of the first sidewall enables a peeling motion to assist in the disengagement of the locking members. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the interruption in the first locking member is designed to be non-obvious to children and obvious to adults, thereby providing a childproof feature to the bag. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the interlocked locking members are configured to remain engaged when forces are applied in any direction other than at the interruption, and the unattached upper portion of the first sidewall provides an additional layer of childproofing.