CA1229825A - Plastic bag - Google Patents

Plastic bag

Info

Publication number
CA1229825A
CA1229825A CA000513842A CA513842A CA1229825A CA 1229825 A CA1229825 A CA 1229825A CA 000513842 A CA000513842 A CA 000513842A CA 513842 A CA513842 A CA 513842A CA 1229825 A CA1229825 A CA 1229825A
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
aperture
bags
plastic bag
inches
support member
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
CA000513842A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Baldur Hirschberger
Robert H. Lindstrom
Peter Cook
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Crown Forest Industries Ltd
Original Assignee
Crown Forest Industries Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Crown Forest Industries Ltd filed Critical Crown Forest Industries Ltd
Priority to CA000513842A priority Critical patent/CA1229825A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA1229825A publication Critical patent/CA1229825A/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65DCONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D33/00Details of, or accessories for, sacks or bags
    • B65D33/001Blocks, stacks or like assemblies of bags
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65DCONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D33/00Details of, or accessories for, sacks or bags
    • B65D33/14Suspension means

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Purses, Travelling Bags, Baskets, Or Suitcases (AREA)

Abstract

PLASTIC BAG

Abstract of the Disclosure A longitudinally tubular plastic bag structure having front and rear panels joined together along their top, bottom and side edges. Inwardly gussetted side walls extend between the front and rear panel top and bottom edges. An aperture extends through the upper, central region of the panels to define a support member extending across the top edge of the aperture. The aperture also extends through the gussetted side walls to define a bag handle on each side of the aperture.

A wicket comprising a plurality of plastic bags may be formed by joining the support members of individual bags together to form a relatively rigid mem-ber for supporting the bags and for separating and sup-porting their handles.

Description

L~STIC BAG

Field of the Invention This application pertains to plastic bags, particularly plastic bags known as "T-shirt bags", for use at supermarket check stands.

Background of the Invention The increased cost of paper bags has spawned a corresponding increase in the use of lower cost plastic bags, particularly at supermarket check stands. A con-tributing factor to the increased use of plastic bags is their superior eficiency and convenience, as compared with paper bags. Plastic bags can be handled more easily than paper bags, they require less storage space and they are well suited to use ~ith dispensing appara-tus which store the plastlc bags ready for use and also support the bags in the open position while they are filled with grocerie~ or other items.

Prior art plastic T-shirt bags are subject to a number of disadvantages. Foremost amongst these, fxom the point of view of a supermarket operator or grocery checkou-t cLerk, is that the bags, being of rather 'limsy constructioll, cannot be efficiently, conveniently, neatly and attractively handled in large batches of fif-ty or more bags. Conventionally, the upwardly extenclincJ
handle portions of prior art plastic T-shirt ba~s must be left free so that an individual bag may be s,electe-l for u~e Erom amongst a batch of bags. Accorclingly, batches o prior art plastic T-shirt bags are conven-tiona:Lly supported by a mechanism which grips or sup-~5 ports the bags in the bag re~ion near the intersection :~2~

of the upwardly extending bag handles wi-th the main body of the bag. Since the handles themselves are not sup-ported they tend to flop over, which results in a some-what unattractive, disorderly appearance. Moreover, when the grocery checkout clerk requires a fresh bag he or she must take time to sort through the disorganized handles to fina the handles oE the outermost bag so that it may be withdrawn from the batch of bags and readied for use. The prior art is exempli~ied, for example, by Canadian patent ~o. 916,102 issued 5 December, 1972 for an invention of Norman D. Sandholm.

The present invention overcomes the ~oregoing disadvantages by providing a plastic bag structure in which a support member extends across the top of the bay aperture which defines the bag handles. The support members of a plurality of individual bags may be joined together to form a relatively rigid me~ber for sup-porting the bags and for separating and supporting the bag handles. The resultant "wicket" of joined bags may be easily handled by grasping the relatively rigid mem-ber so formed. Moreover, the member may be used to sup-port the wicket of bags on a bag support/dispensing ap-paratus. By separating and supporting the bag handles the member maintains the wicket of bags in a neat, at-tractive manner with the handles of t.he outermos-t bags readily accessible.

Summary of the Invention In accordance with the invention there is pro-vided a loncJitudinally tubular plastic bag structure comprising front and rear panels joined together along their top, bottom and side edges. Inwardly gussetted side walls extend between the front and rear panel top ,~ ,r pf and bottom edges~ An aperture extends through the up-per, central region of the panels to define a separable support member extending across the top edge of the aperture. Preferably~ the aperture also extends through the gussetted side walls to define a bag handle on each side of the aperture.

Advantageously, first and second perforations extend across the support rnember at opposed ends there-of The perforations preferably each comprise at leasttwo spaced apart contact members which join the support member to the front and rear panels. The perforations are arranged to tear into the support member.

The invention also provides a plurality ("wicket") of plastic bags wherein the individual sup-port members of each bag are joined together to form a relatively eiyid member for supporting the bags and for separating and supporting the bag handles. Advanta-~ geously, the support members may be joined together by hot needle punching.

Brief Description of the Drawinqs Figure 1 is a perspective view of a wicket of plastic bags joined together in accordance with the in-vention.

Figure lA is an enlaeged illustration of the support member incorporated in the preferred plastic bag.

Figures 2A, 2~ and 2C are, respectively, top right ~ront peespective, right hand elevation and rear 8:25 elevation views of -the wicket of bags of Figure 1 sup-ported for use on a support/dispensing apparatus.

Figure 3 is a top right front perspective view which shows a plastic bag in accordance with the inven-tion opened for Eilling and supported on a support/dis-pensing apparatus.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment Figure 1 depicts a "wicket" 10 comprising a plurality of plastic bags in accordance with the inven-tion. Each bag is a longitudinally tubular structure having a front panel 12 and a rear panel 14. In Figure 1 only the front panel 12 o~ the outermost bag of wicket 10 is visible. Rear panel 14 may be seen in the opened bag depicted in Figure 3. The front and rear panels of each bag are sealed together along their bottom edges 16 and along their top edyes 18. The front and rear panels of each bag may also be sealed along either or both sides, depending upon the particular process used to make the bags. For example, if the bags are formed one at a time from a continuous sleeve of plastic materia~
then no side sealing is required. However, if a laryer sleeve of continuous plas-tic material is used to orm three bags in parallel at the same time (as is common to achieve increased production yields) then both sides of the innermost bag must be sealed and the innermost sides of the two outer bags must also be sealed. Accordinclly, ~ront and rear panels 12, 14 are initially joined along their top, bottom and side edges.

The bags have inwardly gussettecl sicle walls 20, 22 (il1~lstrated in Figure 1 by meanC; of hidden lines, but best seen in Figure 3) which extend betwee ::L22~

front panel 12 and rear panel 14 from the bottom edge 16 to the top edge 18 of each panel. Aperture 24 (~igure 1) is formed to extend through the upper, central region of front panel 12 and rear panel 14 to define a separ-able support member 26 which extends across the top edgeof aperture 24~ Aperture 24 further extends through gussetted side walls 20, 22 thereby defining upwardly extending handles 28, 30 on opposite sides oE aperture 24.

First and second perforations 32, 34 extend across support member 26 at opposed ends thereof to pro-vide a means for conveniently separatin~ handles 28, 30 from support member 26, thus freeing the bag for use.
First and second perforations 32J 34 each preferably comprise at least two spaced apart contact members 36, 38 which ioin support member 26 to handles 28, 30. This minimizes twisting of support member 26 relative to han-dles 28, 30 as would occur if only a single contact point were provided between each oE the opposed ends of support member 26 and handles 28, 30.

First and second perforations 32, 34 are also preferably arranged so that, when handles 28, 30 are grasped and torn away from support member 26~ the plas-tic material tears into support member 26 and not into handles 28 or 30. This may be accomplished by forming contact members 36, 38 as "~" or ">" shaped notches which narrow as they project from handles 28, 30 respec-tively into support member 26. Ideally, support member26 is made as small as possible to minimize material wastage (support member 26 is ultimately discarded once the bag has been separated from support member 26) but not so smail that it fails to properly discharge its functions set forth above. ln practice, support member 26 is preferably made about l.S inches wide when mea-sured in the direction of longitudinal extent of thebag.

The inventors have found that considerations of storage capacity, ease of handling by the grocery checXout clerk and ease of use by the customer are well satisfied if front and rear panels 12, 1~ each meas-~re about 10 inches to about 14 inches wide by about 18 lnches to about 26 inches long; gussetted side walls 20, 22, when fully opened, ex-tend about 4 inches to about 10 inches between the opposed sides of front and rear panels 12, 14; and, aperture 24 measures about 6.5 inches wide by about 5 inches long. These dimensions have been fo~md to provide a bag with strong handles 28, 30 which do not impede opening the bag into the wide open position shown in Figure 3 in which the bag is sup ported ready -for filling on support/dispensing apparatus 100 .

The features of the invention are best ex-ploited by providing a wicket of bags like wicket 10 shown in Figure 1 in which support members 2~ of a plur-ality of individual bags are joined together (pre~erably by hot needle punching through a stack of support mem-bers placed one on top of the other) to form a rela~
tively rigid member for supporting wicket 10 and or separating and supporting the handles of individual bags comprising the wicket. The wicket of bags showrl in Fig-ure 1 may be easily handled by graspinc~ the relatively rigid support member 50 formed to lift the wicket of bac3s into or out of the carton in which the bac3s are shipped or to position the wicket of bags on support apparatus 100 shown in Figures 2 ancl 3.

As may be seen in Figures 2A, 2B and 2C, bag support/dispensing apparatus 100 adapted for use with wicket 10 supports the w'cket by provlding a bar 102 ~Figure 2C) which extends through aperture 24, above the joined together suppor-t members of the individual bags comprising wicket 10. Member 102 thus ensures that wicket 10 remains in place, ready for use on apparatus 100. Moreover, -the relatively rigid member formed by joining together support members 26 of the bags com-prising wicket 10 ensures that handles 28, 30 oE eachbag comprising wicket 10 are kept separate and main-tained in an upwardly extending position relative to the front and rear bag panels, thus enhancing the neat, attractive appearance of the stored wicket of bags and ensuring that the handles 2~, 30 of the outermost bag remain readily accessible. The grocery check stand clerk need only grasp handles 28, 30 and move them, respectively, to the right and left with respect to support member 26, thereby tearing handles 2~, 30 along first and second perforations 32, 34 respectively to separate the outermost bag from wicket 10. Since support member 26 of the separated bag is joined to the support members of the other bags compri~ing wicket 10, support member 26 remains :in place until the last bag is removed, at which point the memb2r comprising the joined together support members of the individual bags comprising wicket 10 falls clear o-F apparatus 100 and may be discarded. A fresh wicket of bags is then loaded onto support/dispensing apparatus 100.
As will be apparent to those skilled in the art ;n the light of the foregoing disclosure, man~ al-terations and modifications are possible in the practice of this invention without departing from the spirit or scope thereof. Accordingly, the scope oE the invention ~2~18~i is to be construed in accordance with the suhstance de-fined by the following claims.

Claims (9)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A longitudinally tubular plastic bag structure comprising:

(a) front and rear panels joined together along their top, bottom and side edges (b) inwardly gussetted side walls extending be-tween said front and rear panel top and bottom edges; and, (c) an aperture extending through the upper, cen-tral region of said panels to define a separable support member extending across the top edge of said aperture.
2. A plastic bag structure as defined in claim 1, wherein said aperture further extends through said gus-seted side walls to define a bag handle on each side of said aperture.
3. A plastic bag structure as defined in claim 2, further comprising first and second perforations ex-tending across said support member at opposed ends thereof.
4. A plastic bag structure as defined in claim 3, wherein said first and second perforations each comprise at least two spaced apart contact members joining said support member to said handles.
5. A plastic bag structure as defined in claim 4, wherein said first and second perforations are arranged to tear into said support member.
6. A plastic bag structure as defined in claim 1, 2, or 3, wherein said aperture measures about 6.5 inches wide by about 5 inches long.
7. A plastic bag structure as defined in claim 1, 2, or 3, wherein said front and rear panels each measure about 10 inches to about 14 inches wide by about 18 inches to about 26 inches long; said side walls extend from about 4 inches to about 10 inches between said front and rear panels; and, said aperture measures about 6.5 inches wide by about 5 inches long.
8. A plurality of plastic bag structures as de-fined in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said support members of said structures are joined together to form a rela-tively rigid member for supporting said bags and for separating and supporting said handles.
9. A plurality of bag structures as defined in claim 1, 2, or 3, wherein said support members of said structures are hot needle punched together to form a relatively rigid member for supporting said bags and for separating and supporting said handles.
CA000513842A 1986-07-15 1986-07-15 Plastic bag Expired CA1229825A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA000513842A CA1229825A (en) 1986-07-15 1986-07-15 Plastic bag

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA000513842A CA1229825A (en) 1986-07-15 1986-07-15 Plastic bag

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA1229825A true CA1229825A (en) 1987-12-01

Family

ID=4133568

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA000513842A Expired CA1229825A (en) 1986-07-15 1986-07-15 Plastic bag

Country Status (1)

Country Link
CA (1) CA1229825A (en)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0433689A1 (en) * 1989-12-22 1991-06-26 A.W.A.X. PROGETTAZIONE E RICERCA S.r.l. Handle bag of plastic film
FR2659542A1 (en) * 1990-03-15 1991-09-20 Fcpl Deal Concept 2 Display/sleeve for bottles or the like
US5465846A (en) * 1993-12-23 1995-11-14 Atlantic Packaging Products Ltd. Bag dispensing system
WO2002058525A1 (en) * 2001-01-25 2002-08-01 Johnson Diversey, Inc. Support rack

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0433689A1 (en) * 1989-12-22 1991-06-26 A.W.A.X. PROGETTAZIONE E RICERCA S.r.l. Handle bag of plastic film
US5096305A (en) * 1989-12-22 1992-03-17 A.W.A.X. Progettazione E Ricerca S.R.L. Handle bag of plastic film
FR2659542A1 (en) * 1990-03-15 1991-09-20 Fcpl Deal Concept 2 Display/sleeve for bottles or the like
US5465846A (en) * 1993-12-23 1995-11-14 Atlantic Packaging Products Ltd. Bag dispensing system
WO2002058525A1 (en) * 2001-01-25 2002-08-01 Johnson Diversey, Inc. Support rack
US6655537B1 (en) 2001-01-25 2003-12-02 Johnsondiversey, Inc. Support rack for plastic containers

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