AU2011100819A4 - Wicketed Bread Bag - Google Patents

Abstract

Abstract A wicketed bread bag made from a substantially trapezoidal base and a substantially trapezoidal top joined along three sides to form a substantially 5 trapezoidal pouch; and a wicketed flap extending from the base at the open end of the pouch. One or more sides of the substantially trapezoidal pouch may be curved. Also a method of filling the bag.

Description

P/00/012 Regulation 3.2 AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 ORIGINAL COMPLETE SPECIFICATION INNOVATION PATENT Invention Title: "WICKETED BREAD BAG" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: 1 TITLE WICKETED BREAD BAG FIELD OF INVENTION 5 The present invention relates to the field of plastic packaging for bread and in particular, plastic film bags for receiving bread of unusual shape. BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION 10 Most people will be familiar with standard sliced bread packaging. Sliced bread is routinely packaged into plastic film bags constructed with a rectangular prism shape best suited to receive a standard sliced loaf of bread. It is common in mass production bakeries for the bread to be automatically baked, sliced and packaged in a production line. The bags into 15 which the bread is packaged are produced in large blocks preformed into the appropriate rectangular block shape and delivered in a compressed slab of multiple bags. The bags are typically closed by twisting and the application of a resilient clip. More observant users will note that one flap of the bag top extends 20 beyond the length of the other three sides. Furthermore, this extended flap may have two or more round holes that are designed for the bags to be fitted to a wicketing machine. The wicketing machine is a device which holds the bags on two or more spigots and then uses one of a variety of methods to open the bags 25 and deliver a commodity, in this case bread, into the bag. The methods for opening the bags include vacuum, air jet and mechanical devices. One example of a description of the process and apparatus is found in US Patent No. 6601707 assigned to Hudson-Sharp Machine Co. The inventors have found that the process works well for standard 30 rectangular blocked shape bread loaves. For non-uniform loaves, in particular Vienna-shaped loaves, Plaited or any particular bread that is shaped in an oblong or torpedo manner, the standard packaging is 2 inconvenient and inefficient. An alternate arrangement is required to effectively and efficiently package non-standard bread shapes. OBJECTIONS OF THE INVENTION 5 The object of the present invention is to overcome or alleviate at least one or more of the above limitations including providing a wicketed bread bag for non-standard shaped breads. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 10 In one form, although not necessarily the only or indeed the broadest form, the invention resides in a wicketed bread bag comprising a substantially trapezoidal base and a substantially trapezoidal top joined along three sides to form a substantially trapezoidal pouch; and a wicketed flap extending from the base at an open end of the pouch. 15 By substantially trapezoidal it is meant that the top and base will usually be trapezoidal but in some forms may have one or more sides which are slightly curved while maintaining the substantially trapezoidal appearance. For instance, the side opposite the open end may be slightly curved. 20 Suitably the wicketed bags are produced in a block with the wicketing holes aligned. The invention may also reside in a method of filling the bags including the steps of blowing a thin stream of air towards the open end of the pouch so as to cause the base and top to separate, inserting a bread loaf into the 25 open end of the pouch, and lifting the bag so as to separate the wicketed flap from a bag filling machine. Further features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description. 30 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS To assist in understanding the invention and to enable a person skilled in the art to put the invention into practical effect, preferred 3 embodiments of the invention will be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a preferred embodiment of a wicketed bag for non standard bread loaves; 5 Figure 2 shows the top part of the bag of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows the bottom portion of the bag of Figure 1; and Figure 4 shows another embodiment of a wicketed bag for non standard bread loaves. 10 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention reside primarily in a wicketed bag for non-standard bread loaves. Accordingly, the embodiments have been illustrated in concise schematic form in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are necessary for understanding the embodiments 15 of the present invention, but so as to not obscure the disclosure with excessive detail that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the present description. In this specification, adjectives such as first and second, left and right and the like may be used solely to distinguish one element or action from 20 another element or action without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order. Words such as "comprises" or "includes" are intended to define a non-exclusive inclusion, such as a process, method, article or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed, 25 including elements that are inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a bag 10 for non-standard bread loaves. The bag 10 has a wicketed flap 11 extending beyond the normal length of the bag. In use, the bag would generally be closed via a clip applied 30 to the bag at or about the height indicated by the line 12. The bag 10 is formed from a top part 20 (shown in Figure 2) which may be printed with product identification data 21, as is conventional. The 4 bottom part 30 (shown in Figure 3) incorporates the wicketed flap 11 and may be printed with compliance data 31, such as known in many jurisdictions. Referring again to Figure 1, the wicketed flap 11 will include one of 5 more holes 13 adapted to fit onto a wicketing machine to hold the bags into position for loading. The front 20 and back 30 are fused together in a heat press apparatus so as to form a trapezoidal, open mouthed, pouch. This specific shape is most appropriate for non-standard bread loaves. The inventors have found 10 that a pouch of this shape can be loaded with non-standard bread much more easily than the standard rectangular shape that is conventional. The inventors have also found that the large amount of wasted space within the normal rectangular block causes problems in loading and delivery of the packaged bread. After considerable research and development, the 15 inventors have found that the open mouth trapezoidal pouch eliminates the difficulties experienced with the conventional rectangular block bags. It will be appreciated that the shape need not be exactly trapezoidal but rather substantially trapezoidal. Thus, for instance, the end opposite the open mouth may be curved as shown in FIG 4. The sides could also be 20 curved yet retain the substantially trapezoidal appearance and achieve the advantages outlined. It is convenient for the trapezoidal bread bags to be delivered in a slab of bags loosely held together, perhaps by gum or light heat fusion. The bags are fused into slabs so that all of the holes 13 align to form a passage. In use 25 the slab of bags are placed over spigots of a wicketing machine. Each bag is then utilized by blowing open the pouch, sliding in the bread loaf, and lifting the loaf and bag off the machine. The clip is then applied and the packaged bread sent for further distribution. The inventors have found that the new bread bag shape has particular 30 advantages over the conventional shape for processing and handling of non standard shaped loaves of bread.

Claims (5)

1. A wicketed bread bag comprising a substantially trapezoidal base and a substantially trapezoidal top joined along three sides to form a substantially 5 trapezoidal pouch; and a wicketed flap extending from the base at the open end of the pouch.

2. The wicketed bread bag of claim 1 wherein one or more sides of the substantially trapezoidal pouch are curved.

3. A block of wicketed bread bags comprising multiple wicketed bread 10 bags removably bonded together, each wicketed bread bag comprising a substantially trapezoidal base and a substantially trapezoidal top joined along three sides to form a substantially trapezoidal pouch; and a wicketed flap extending from the base at the open end of the pouch; wherein the multiple wicketed bread bags are produced with the wicketing holes 15 aligned.

4. A method of filling a wicketed bread bag of the type comprising a substantially trapezoidal base and a substantially trapezoidal top joined along three sides to form a substantially trapezoidal pouch; and a wicketed flap extending from the base at the open end of the pouch, the method 20 including: blowing a thin stream of air towards the open end of the pouch so as to cause the base and top to separate; inserting a bread loaf into the open end of the bag; and lifting the bag so as to separate the wicketed flap from a bag filling machine. 25

5. A wicketed bread bag as herein described by reference to the attached figures.