AU2012100116A4 - Flexible plastic bag with handles - Google Patents

Description

1 AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 WOON KWAI YUNG COMPLETE SPECIFICATION INNOVATION PATENT Invention Title: Flexible plastic bag with handles The following statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performing it known to us:- Flexible plastic bag with handles TECHNICAL FIELD [00011 This disclosure relates generally to plastic bags with handles and, more specifically, relates to flexible, plastic bags having various symmetries about the body and handles of the bags. SUMMARY [0002] Disclosed herein are handled plastic bags having a body portion and a handle portion. The body portion includes front and rear walls, side portions, and a bottom edge portion having a seam. The handle portion is integrated with the body portion and includes two handles. Each of the two handles in the handle portion has a top seam edge and two open side edges. The area between the top seam edges of the two handles defines an open top portion of the handled plastic bag, and the area outside the top seam edges of the two handles defines other open top portions of the handled plastic bag. [00031 According to an aspect, a central vertical axis is defined longitudinally through the body portion and top portion, which divides the handled plastic bag into a first side portion and a second side portion. The handled plastic bag is substantially symmetrical about the central vertical axis. 100041 According to another aspect, a first side portion vertical axis is defined longitudinally through a centre point of a first of the two handles, a second side portion vertical axis is defined longitudinally through a centre 11 point of a second of the two handles. The first and second handles are substantially symmetrical about their respective first and second side portion vertical axes. [00051 According to another aspect, the first side portion and second side portion each have outer, middle, and inner segments of a substantially equal width. The first and second side portion vertical axes are defined between the outer and middle segments of the first and second side portions. And inner segment vertical axes are defined longitudinally through centre points of the inner segments. [00061 According to another aspect, folding the bag along the central vertical axis, the first and second side portion vertical axes, and the inner segment vertical axes results in the open top portions of the handled plastic bag being substantially in alignment. [00071 According to another aspect, the two open side edges of the two handles may be substantially curved or substantially square. 100081 According to another aspect, the body and handle portions of the handled plastic bag may be made of a plastic film. [0009] According to another aspect, in some embodiments, the side portions of the body portion may not have any gussets. And the seam of the bottom edge portion and the top seam edges of the two handles may have gussets.

[00101 According to another aspect, the handled plastic bay may also have a plastic strip connected to the body portion operable to tie shut the open top portion of the handled plastic bag. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 100111 Figure 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a handled plastic bag, in accordance with the present disclosure; 100121 Figure 2a is a schematic diagram illustrating another view of the handled plastic bag, in accordance with the present disclosure; [0013] Figure 2b is a schematic diagram illustrating another view of the handled plastic bag, in accordance with the present disclosure; [00141 Figure 2c is a schematic diagram illustrating another view of the handled plastic bag, in accordance with the present disclosure; and 10015] Figure 2d is a schematic diagram illustrating another view of the handled plastic bag, in accordance with the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION [00161 Figure 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a handled plastic bag 100. The handled plastic bag 100 includes a body portion 102 and a handle portion 104. The body portion 102 may include a front wall 110, rear wall (not shown), side portions 106, 108, and a bottom edge portion 11. The bottom edge portion 111 may have a seam with gussets. In an embodiment, the side portions 106, 108 do not have a seam or gussets, but instead may be made of a substantially continuous plastic film. [00171 The handle portion 104 is integrated with the body portion 102. The handle portion 104 may include two handles 107, 109, each having a top seam edge 113 and two open side edges 114. An open top portion 115 of the plastic bag 100 is defined in the area 112 between the top seam edges 113 of the two handles 107, 109. Thus, this top portion 115 of the bag is open. Other open top portions are defined in the areas 116 outside of the top seam edges 113 of the two handles 107, 109. Thus, these portions of the bag are also open, at least partly forming the handles 107, 109. 100181 In an embodiment, the bottom edge portion 111 of the body portion 102 and the top seam edge 113 of the handle portion 104 have gussets for support and durability. [00191 A central vertical axis 120 is defined longitudinally through the body portion 102 and the top portion 104 of the handled plastic bag 100. The central vertical axis 120 divides the handled plastic bag into a first side portion 128 and a second side portion 126. In an embodiment, the handled plastic bag 100 is substantially symmetrical about the central vertical axis 120. [00201 A first side portion vertical axis 138 may further be defined longitudinally through a centre point 139 of a first of the two handles 107. A second side portion vertical axis 136 may further be defined longitudinally through a centre point 137 of a second of the two handles 109. In an embodiment, the first of the two handles 107 is substantially symmetrical about the first side portion vertical axis 138, and the second of the two handles 109 is substantially symmetrical about the second side portion vertical axis 136. 100211 The first and second side portions 128, 126 of the handled plastic bag 100 may each be divided into outer 151, middle 152, and inner 153 segments having a substantially equal width w. In an embodiment, the first and second side portion vertical axes 138, 136 are defined between the outer 151 and middle 152 segments of the first and second side portions 128, 126. 100221 An inner segment vertical axes 158, 156 may also be defined longitudinally through centre points 159, 157, respectively, of the inner segments 153. Thus, the inner segments 153 may be divided into inner segment halves 153a, 153b having a substantially equal width w/2. 100231 In an embodiment, the two open side edges 114 of the two handles 107, 109 are substantially curved. In other embodiments, the two open side edges 114 of the two handles 107, 109 are substantially square (not shown). In still other embodiments, the two open side edges 114 of the two handles 107, 109 may comprise another shape or curvature. In some embodiments, the shape of each of the side edges 114 is substantially the same.

[00241 The handled plastic bag 100 may be made of any suitable flexible plastic film. For example, the handled plastic bag 100 may be made of a polyethylene plastic film. In various embodiments, the handled plastic bag 100 may be made from high-density polyethylene (HDPE) resins, linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) resins, or low-density polyethylene (LDPE) resins, or a combination of one or more of these materials. [0025] In an embodiment, the handled plastic bag 100 further comprises a mechanism (not shown) for shutting the open top portion 115 of the handled plastic bag 100. The mechanism for shutting the open top portion 115 may comprise, for example, one or more plastic strips connected to the body portion 102. The one or more plastic strips may be operable to tie or fasten shut the open top portion 115 of the handled plastic bag 100. 100261 In other embodiments, the handles 107, 109 may be used to tie or fasten shut the open top portion 115 of the handled plastic bag 100. 100271 In an embodiment, the handle portion 104 and the body portion 102 are made from the same sheet of plastic with top and bottom seams, and the handled plastic bag 100 is created via a series of folds and a single cut. Thus, the side portions 106, 108 of the body portion 102 may not have a seam. [00281 Other features of the handled plastic bag 100 include that the bag 100 may have various symmetries about various vertical axes which allows for the machining of the plastic bag 100 to be done on a comparatively costeffective basis. For example, if the bag 100 is folded along the central vertical axis 120, and the folded bag is then folded along the first and second side portion vertical axes 136, 138, the resulting folded bag has its open top portions substantially in alignment. This allows for the handled plastic bag 100 to be cut from the same sheet of plastic with a top and bottom seam via the folds discussed above and a single cut. The bag 100 may also be folded along the inner segment vertical axes 158, 156, and the resulting folded bag would still have its open top portions substantially in alignment further enhancing manufacturing and cutting efficiencies. [0029] In an embodiment, the plastic bag 100 may be manufactured easily using standard roll stock manufacturing processes due to the various symmetries discussed above. For example, a roll stock of polyethylene plastic film having a pair of seams regularly positioned every bag length may be folded about various vertical axes of the bag, resulting in the desired open areas to be substantially in alignment. The roll stock may then be cut using a single cut per bag length. A certain number of bags may then be re-rolled and packaged for distribution. 100301 Figure 2a is a schematic diagram illustrating another view of the handled plastic bag 100. As discussed above, in an embodiment, the handled plastic bag 100 has various symmetries about its the body portion 102 and handle portion 104. For example, the handled plastic bag 100 may be substantially symmetrical about the central vertical axis 120, as shown in Fig.

2a, which shows that the shapes of the first and second side portions 126, 128 on either side of the central vertical axis 120 are substantially mirror shapes of each other. [00311 Figure 2b is a schematic diagram illustrating another view of the handled plastic bag 100 after it has been folded about its central vertical axis 120. As shown in Fig. 2b, the first side portion and a second side portion may be folded over each other about the central vertical axis 120 and are then in substantial alignment, illustrating the substantial symmetry of the handled plastic bag 100. Further, Fig. 2b shows the first and second side portion vertical axes 138, 136 also now in alignment after the folding. Finally, Fig. 2b shows that the inner segment vertical axes 158, 156 are substantially in alignment after the folding. 100321 The side portion vertical axes 138, 136 are defined longitudinally through centre points 139, 137 of the two handles 107, 109. Thus, the two handles 107, 109 may be substantially symmetrical about the side portion vertical axes 138, 136. Also, the outer 151 and middle 152 regions are substantially symmetrical about the side portion vertical axes 138, 136. [00331 The inner segment vertical axes 158, 156 are defined longitudinally through centre points 159, 157 of inner segments 153. Thus, inner segment halves 153a, 153b are substantially symmetrical about the inner segment vertical axes 158, 156.

100341 Figure 2c is a schematic diagram illustrating another view of the handled plastic bag 100 after it has been folded about the side portion vertical axes 138, 136. As shown in Fig. 2c, the handles 107, 109 have been folded in half, and the side edges 114 of the handles 107, 109 are substantially in alignment. Also the outer 151 and middle 152 regions are substantially in alignment after the fold about the side portion vertical axes 138, 136. 100351 Figure 2d is a schematic diagram illustrating another view of the handled plastic bag 100 after it has been folded about the inner segment vertical axes 158, 156. As shown in Fig. 2d, the inner segments 153 have been folded substantially in half, and the inner segment halves 153a, 153b are substantially in alignment.

Claims (5)

1. A handled plastic bag, comprising: a body portion having: front and rear walls; side portions; and a bottom edge portion having a seam; and a handle portion integrated with the body portion, the handle portion having: two handles each having a top seam edge and two open side edges, the area between the top seam edges of the two handles defining an open top portion of the handled plastic bag, and the area outside the top seam edges of the two handles further defining other open top portions of the handled plastic bag; wherein a central vertical axis is defined longitudinally through the body portion and top portion, dividing the handled plastic bag into a first side portion and a second side portion, and wherein the handled plastic bag is substantially symmetrical about the central vertical axis, and wherein a first side portion vertical axis is defined longitudinally through a centre point of a first of the two handles, and wherein a second side portion vertical axis is defined longitudinally through a centre point of a second of the two handles, and wherein the first and second of the two handles are substantially symmetrical about their respective first and second side portion vertical axes.

2. The handled plastic bag of claim 1, wherein the first side portion and second side portion each comprise outer, middle, and inner segments having a substantially equal width, and wherein the first and second side portion vertical axes are defined between the outer and middle segments of the first and second side portions, and wherein inner segment vertical axes are defined longitudinally through centre points of the inner segments.

3. The handled plastic bag of claim 1, wherein the body and handle portions are made of a plastic film.

4. The handled plastic bag of claim 1, wherein the side portions of the body portion do not have any gussets.

5. The handled plastic bag of claim 1, wherein folding the bag along the central vertical axis, folding the bag along the first and second side portion vertical axes, and folding the bag along the inner segment vertical axes results in the open top portions of the handled plastic bag being substantially in alignment.