CA1286643C - Flexible pilfer proof reusable bag with tearable handle and method of making same - Google Patents

Abstract

FLEXIBLE PILFER PROOF REUSABLE BAG WITH
TEARABLE HANDLE AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME
Abstract A flexible pilfer proof reusuable bag is disclosed wherein the handle serves to carry the bag, to open it, and to reseal it. In one embodiment, the entire bag is manufactured from a unitary web of flexible plastic mater-ial. An adhesive element is applied to the web to provide a separable gusset joint at the closed end of the bag. A
loop handle integral with the gusset is provided with a frangible region which can be broken to form two separate handle portions which are releasably joined along the gusset joint. The handle portions can be pulled apart so as to break the gusset joint and provide access to the goods in the bag. In a second embodiment, the bag is manu-factured from two webs: a web from which the bag panels and gusset are formed and a web from which a loop handle is formed. The gusset is provided with a frangible region.
The loop handle is secured to the gusset and is provided with a frangible region which can be broken to form two separate handle portions. The handle portions are releas-ably joined by mating structure and can be pulled apart so as to break the joint provided by the mating structure.
The frangible region of the gusset can then be accessed and broken to enter the bag.

Description

12866~3 FLEXIBLE PILFER PROOF REUSABLE BAG WITH
TEARABLE HANDLE AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME
Background The invention is directed to the flexible packaging art. Flexible plastic bags of the general type involved herein are known. For example, see U.S. patent 4,252,269.
When goods are packaged and sealed in the bag as disclosed in said patent, the bag is destroyed when one gains access to the contents of the bag. Such destruction of the bag is considered to be an unnecessary waste. In~patent 4,573,203, there is disclosed a flexible plastic bag which enables goods to be sealed therein while allowing the seal to be broken whereby the goods can be accessed and the bag reused. In said patent, the bag is manufactured from two separate webs of flexible plastic material, one web being used to form the front and rear panels and gusset of the bag, and the other web being used to form a loop handle connected to the front and rear panels adjacent the gusset outer boundary.
The present invention is directed to a solution of the problem of constructing a flexible plastic bag by a high speed mass production technique wherein the bag is pilfer proof but may be opened at the gusset and wherein C - ~

~2~ 3 the handle structure of the bag may be utilized to carry, open and reseal the bag.
Summar~_of the Invention The present invention is directed to a pilfer proof reusable bag of flexible plastic material having generally rectangular front and rear panels and a gusset integral with the panels at a closed end of the bag. The gusset has a inner fold region and a pair of outer fold regions at the closed end of the bag. The gusset is provided with a frangible region, preferably defined by perforations along the inner fold region. A loop handle disposed between the gusset outer fold regions is also provided with a frang-ible region, preferably defined by perforations, so as to be separable into two handle portions. The two handle portions are releasably joined together proximal the inner fold region of the gusset. The front and rear panels are open at the other end of the bag to facilitate introducing goods into the bag. The handle and gusset may be integrally joined whereby the entire bag is produced from a single web of plastic material. Alternatively, the handle may be separately formed and welded to the gusset whereby the bag is produced from two webs of plastic material.
For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings a form which is presently prefer-red; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumental-ities shown.
Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of a filled package made from one embodiment of a bag of the present invention.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the bag in Figure 1 prior to filling.
Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 in Figure 1.
Figures 4A, 4B and 5-8 show the manner in which the bag in Figure 1 may be mass produced from a single moving web.

I

121~66'13 Figure 4A is a partial plan view of a continuous web of Elexible plastic material having a double-backed adhesive member applied thereto.
Figure 4B is a partial pLan view of an alternate em-bodiment of the web in Figure 4A wherein an adhesive compo-sition is painted in a predetermined pattern on the web.
Figure 5 is a partial plan view of the web after it has been folded and perforated.
Figure 6 is a partial plan view of the web after it has been die cut to form the loop handle.
Figure 7 is a partial plan view of the web wherein the loop handle has been die cut to form aligned openings for use in grasping the handle.
Figure 8 is a partial plan view of the web after it has been folded to form a gusset with the handle tucked inside.
Figure 9 is a perspective view of a portion of the web in Figure 8.
Figure 10 is a perspective view of the loop handle showing the manner in which the handle is separated into two portions.
Figure 11 is a perspective view of the package showing the manner in which the handle portions are used to separate the gusset joint to access the goods in the bag.
Figure 12 is a perspective view of a filled package made from another embodiment of a bag of the present invention.
Figure 13 is a perspective of the bag in Figure 12 prior to filling.
Figure 14 is a sectional view taken along the line 14-14 in Figure 12.
Figures 15-18 show the manner in which the bag in Figure 12 may be mass produced from two moving webs.
Figure 15 is a partial plan view of a continuous web of flexible plastic material.
Figure 16 is a partial plan view of the web after it has been folded and perforated.

1.

121~66'~3 Figure 17 is a perspective view of a portion of the web with the handle web attached thereto.
Figure 18 is a partial plan view of the web with the handle web attached thereto.
Figure 19 is a partial plan view of the web after it has been folded to form a gusset with the handle tucked inside.
Figure 20 is a perspective view of a portion of the web in Figure 19.
Figure 21 is a perspective view oE the loop handle showing the manner in which the handle is separated into two portions.
Figure 22 is a perspective view of the package showing the manner in which the handle portions are used to access the frangible portion of the gusset so as to open the bag.
Detailed Description of First Embodiment Referring to the drawings, wherein like numerals in-dicate like elements, there is shown in Figure 1 a package 10 made from one embodiment of the bag of the present in-vention wherein the entire bag is produced by a high speed mass production technique from a single piece of flexi~le plastic material. The package is sealed so as to prevent access to the goods except in a manner which will be readily apparent and described in greater detail hereafter. The package lO is filled with products such as feminine napkins 12. The package is in the shape of a hexahedron due to the bag structure described hereafter.
Referring to Figures 4A, 4B and 5-ll, the bag is con-structed from a single moving web 14 of flexible thermoplas-tic material. The web is provided with spaced circular wicket perforations 16 proximal the web bottom edge 18. See Figures 4A and 4B. The web is provided with an adhesive element, either a continuous double-backed adhesive strip 20 applied to the web (Figure 4A) or an adhesive composition 20' painted on the web in a predetermined pattern (Figure 4B). In Figure 4A, the double-backed adhesive strip 20' is spaced from a fold line 22 and traverses lines 24 which l...

12~43 define the side edges of the bag panels to be cut from the web. In Fiaure 4B, the adhesive composition 20' is painted on the web so as to terminate proximal lines 24' at regions 26. For purposes of further explanation, it is assumed that the web embodiment shown in Figure 4A is employed although it should be understood that the following descrip-tion of the invention applies equally well to the web embodiment shown in Figure 4B.
Preferably, the web 14 is a single, unitary piece of material which is opaque and has printing on its outer surface. The web may be a laminate wherein an outer trans-parent layer is adhesively or otherwise bonded to an inner opa~ue layer having printing on its outer surface. The outer layer protects the printing. The web may be made of polypropylene, polyester, polyethylene, etc.
Figures 5-8 show the manner in which continuous web 14 is processed to make the bag. As shown in Figure 5, the web is folded over at line 22 to form overlying front and rear panels 28, 30. Front panel 28 is shorter in height than rear panel 30 whereby the rear panel has a tab 32 projecting beyond the front panel 28. ~ach circular perforation 16 is connected by a line of perforations to the bottom edge 18 of the tab. When the web 14 is folded as shown in Figure 5, the inner surface of the front panel 28 is adhesively secured to the exposed surface of the adhesive member 20. The adhesive joint is made strong enough to secure the inner surface of the front panel there-to, but weak enough so that the panel may be separated or peeled away from strip 20 by pulling the panel to break the adhesive joint whereupon the panels may be resecured at the joint by restoring contact with the adhesive member.
Thus, the front and rear panels are releasably joined to eachother at the region of the strip 20.
A line of perforations 34 is formed in panel 28 in the region between the fold line 22 and the location of adhesive strip 20. A like line of perforations 34' is formed in the rear panel 30 between the fold line and the ~2~6G43 ~;

location of the adhesive strip. Perforations 34, 34' flank fold line 22 and define a frangible region of a handle as described hereafter.
A portion of the front and rear panels 28, 30 is die cut along lines 36 which extend from the fold line 22 to a reqion inside adhesive strip 20 and to the opposite side edges of the panels which are defined by lines 24. See Figure 6. ~s a result, there is defined a loop handle 38 having a bight 40 and a base 42. The base is located along adhesive strip 20 and is integral with a gusset to be formed from the web. See Figures 3 and 9.
Aligned oval shaped openings 44 are die cut in the loop handle 38 between the perforations 34 and the region of adhesive strip 20. See Figure 7. The openings 44 permit the handle to be grasped by the user. Web 14 is then folded at fold lines 50, 50' to form a gusset 46 having an inner fold region 48 at the adhesive strip 20 and outer fold regions at the regions of fold lines 50, 50'. See Figures 7-9.
Web 14 is cut along lines 24 which define the side edges of gusset 46 and the side edges of panels 28, 30.
The side edges of the gusset and panels are heat-welded together to form the hag 52 as shown in Figure 2. The gusset defines a closed top end of bag 52. The bottom ends of the front and rear panels 28, 30 are open so that the bag may be "bottom loaded" with product through opening 55.
The baq 52 as shown in Figure 2 may be loaded as a stack of bags on a bagging machine with prongs or wickets extending through the aligned holes 16. When product is machine-fed into the bottom of the bag, it is done with sufficient force so as to strip the bag off the prongs by tearing the tab 32 from the holes 16 to the edge 18 of the tab. The bag is structurally formed so as to be capable of being machine loaded with bulky goods which causes the handle 38 to pop up and the gusset 46 to flatten at the closed end of the bag whereby the bag assumes the shape of 12t~6~3 a hexahedron. The open bottom end of the bag is then sealed by heat-welding or the like to form the sealed package 10 shown in Figure 1. The hexahedral shape and the flexible handle permit the filled bags to be conven-iently stacked side by side and one atop the other with the front and rear panels prominently displayed.
The adhesive joint running across the inner fold region of the gusset, including the base 42 of handle 38, seals the bag and effectively renders the bag pilfer proof when the bag is filled as shown in Figures 1 and 3. To break the seal and access the goods within the bag, a tearaway handle portion 53 lying between the lines of per-forations 34, 34' at the loop handle bight 40 is stripped away from the handle. See Figure 10. As a result, the handle 38 is separated into two portions 54, 56 which may then be pulled apart as shown in Figure 11 to break the adhesive joint running across the inner fold region of the gusset including the base of the handle. Such access does not destroy the utility of the bag, since the handle por-tions 54, 56 remain intact, whereby the bag may be reused as a shopping bag once the contents are depleted.
Detailed Description of Second Embodiment Referring to Figure 12, there is shown a package 110 made from another embodiment of the bag of the present invention wherein the bag is produced by a high speed mass production technique from two webs of flexible plastic material. The package is sealed so as to prevent access to the goods except in a manner which will be readily apparent and described in greater detail hereafter. The package 110 is filled with products such as feminine napkins 112. The package is in the shape of a hexahedron due to the bag structure described hereafter.
Referring to Figures 15-21, the bag is constructed in part from a moving web 114 of flexible thermoplastic material. The web is provided with spaced circular wicket perforations 116 proximal the web bottom edge 118. See Figure 15. Lines 124 define the side edges of each bag 121~6~3 panel to be cut from the web. A fold ]ine 122 traverses lines 124.
Preferably, the web 114 is a single, unitary piece of material which is opaque and has printing on its outer sur-face. The web may be a laminate wherein an outer transpar-ent layer is adhesively or otherwise bonded to an inner opaque layer having printing on its outer surface. The outer layer protects the printing. The web may be made of polypropylene, polyester, polyethylene, etc.
Figures 16-18 show the manner in which continuous web 114 is processed in conjunction with a separate handle web to make the bag. As shown in Figure 16, the web is folded over at line 122 to form overlying front and rear panels 128, 130. Front panel 128 is shorter in height than rear panel 130 whereby the rear panel is a tab 132 projecting beyond the front panel 128. Each circular perforation 116 is connected by a line of perforations to the bottom edge 118 of the tab.
A line of perforations 134 is formed in panel 128 in the region of the fold line 122. A like line of perforations 134' is formed in the rear panel 130 in the region of the fold line. Perforations 134, 134' flank the fold line 122 and define a frangible region of a gusset as described hereafter.
A single continuous handle web 137 having spaced handle portions 138 therealong is applied to the web 114 as shown in Figures 17 and 1%. The handle web 137 is made of a flexible thermoplastic material. The web may be made of polypropylene, polyester, polyethylene, etc. It is preferred that the handle web be transparent. Each handle portion 138 includes a loop handle 141 provided with spaced parallel lines of perforations 139, 139' at the loop bight 140. Each handle portion 138 also includes flange portions 143, 143' which are line welded to panels 128, 130 respec-tively to secure the handle portion to the panels.
Aligned oval-shaped openings 144 are die cut in loop handle 141 on both sides of bight 140. The openings 144 ~21~ 3 g permit the handle to be grasped by the user. The loop handle 141 is provided with mating structure preferably in the form of a rib 145 on handle portion 154 and a groove 147 on handle portion 156 for receiving the rib. The rib and groove form a slide closure for releasably joining both portions of loop handle lAl. Thus, the user may releasably join both portions of loop handle 141 together simply by pressing the rib and groove structures 145, 147 together between the thumb and forefinger and by sliding the fingers along the structures so as to press and lock the rib and groove together along their entire length.
The joint seals off and protects an associated portion of panels 128, 130 along the region of fold line 122. The upper edges 149, 149' of handle portion 138 below the rib and groove structures 145, 147 are permanently joined, by heat welding or the like, so as to seal off and protect associated portions of the panels 128, 130 along the region of fold line 122.
Web 114 is folded at fold lines lS0, 150' to form a gusset 146 having an inner fold region at the region of fold line 122 and outer fold regions at the regions of fold lines 150, 150'. See Figures 19-20.
Web 114 is cut along lines 124 which define the side edges of gusset 146 and the side edges of panels 128, 130.
The side edges of the gusset and panels are heat welded together to form bag 152 as shown in Figure 2. The gusset defines a closed top end of bag 152. The bottom ends of the front and rear panels 128, 130 are open so that the bag may be "bottom-loaded" with product through opening 155.
The bag 152 as shown in Figure 13 may be loaded as a stack of bags on a bagging machine with prongs or wickets extending through the aligned holes 116. When product is machine-fed into the bottom of the bag, it is done with sufficient force so as to strip the bag off the prongs by tearing the tab 132 from the holes 116 to the edge 118 of the tab. The bag is structurally formed so as to be capable of being machine-loaded with bulky goods which causes the handle 138 to pop up and the gusset 146 to flatten at the closed end of the bag whereby the bag assumes the shape of a hexahedron. The open bottom end of the bag is then sealed by heat-welding or the like to form the sealed package 110 shown in Figure 12. The hexahedral shape and the flexible handle permit the filled bags to be conveniently stacked side by side and one atop the other with the front and rear panels prominently displayed.
The press-lock joint running across the loop handle 141, together with the sealed edges 149, 149' of the handle portion, completely seal the perforated portion of the gus-seted top end of the bag and effectively render the bag pilfer-proof when the bag is filled as shown in Figures 12 and 14. To break the seal and access the goods within the bag, a tear-away handle portion 153 lying between the lines of perforations 139 139' at the loop handle bight 140 is stripped away from the handle. See Figure 21. As a result, the handle 138 is separated into two portions 154, 156 which may then be pulled apart as shown in Figure 22 to break the press-lock joint by releasing rib 145 from groove 147. Such access does not destroy the utility of the bag, since the handle portions 154, 156 remain intact, whereby the bag may be reused as a shopping bag once the contents are depleted.
The present invention may be embodied in other speci-fic forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and, accordingly, reference should be nade to the appended claims, rather than to the foregoing specification, as indicating the scope of the invention.

Claims (16)

1. Flexible pilfer proof reusable bag, comprising a unitary piece of flexible plastic material having generally rectangular front and rear panels and a gusset integral with said panels at one end of the bag, said gusset having an inner fold region, a pair of outer fold regions, and a separable, resealable gusset joint disposed between said outer fold regions, a handle defined by a loop of material which is separable into two handle portions each of which is integral with said gusset and disposed with respect to said gusset joint such that said handle portions can be pulled apart to open said joint, said front and rear panels being open at the other end of the bag to facilitate introducing goods into the bag.

2. A bag according to claim 1 wherein said loop handle includes a tear away portion for separating the loop handle into said two portions.

3. A bag according to claim 2 wherein said tear away portion is defined by perforations in said loop handle.

4. A bag according to claim 1 wherein the side edges of said gusset and panels are connected together such that said bag assumes a hexahedral shape when filled, with said gusset forming a flattened closed end of the bag.

5. A bag according to claim 1 wherein said gusset joint includes a double-backed adhesive member.

6. A bag according to claim 5 wherein said gusset joint includes an adhesive composition painted on said unitary piece of flexible plastic material.

7. Method of making a flexible pilfer proof reusable bag comprising, applying an adhesive element to a region of a unitary web of flexible plastic material, providing said web with a frangible region, folding the web along a fold line to form generally rectangular overlying front and rear panels such that facing inner surfaces of said panels are releasably joined by said adhesive element, cutting away a portion of said panels extending from said fold line to opposite side edges of said panels so as to form a loop handle containing said frangible region, folding said panels so as to form a gusset having an inner fold region proximal said adhesive element and outer fold regions at one end of the bag, and joining the side edges of said gusset and said front and rear panels.

8. Method according to claim 7 including forming aligned openings in said loop handle.

9. Method according to claim 7 wherein said step of applying said adhesive element includes applying a double-backed adhesive strip to said unitary web of flexible plastic material.

10. Method according to claim 7 wherein said step of applying said adhesive element includes painting an adhesive composition on said unitary web of flexible plastic material.

11. Method according to claim 7 wherein said step of joining said side edges of said gusset and panels includes heat-welding said side edges.

12. Method according to claim 7 wherein said step of providing said web with a frangible region includes perforating said web.

13. Flexible pilfer proof reusable bag, comprising a unitary piece of flexible plastic material having generally rectangular front and rear panels and a gusset integral with said panels at one end of the bag, said gusset having an inner fold region, a pair of outer fold regions and a frangible region therebetween, a handle defined by a loop of flexible plastic material which is separable into two handle portions each of which is integral with said gusset, said handle portions containing mating elements which define a separable, resealable handle joint, said handle portions being disposed with respect to said frangible region of said gusset such that said handle portions can be pulled apart to open said handle joint and access said frangible region of said gusset and such that said handle joint prevents access to said frangible region of said gusset when closed, said front and rear panels being open at the other end of the bag to facilitate introducing goods into the bag; and wherein said frangible region of said gusset is defined by perforations.

14. Method of making flexible pilfer-proof reusable bag comprising, providing a unitary web of flexible plastic material with a frangible region, folding said web along a fold line to form generally rectangular overlying front and rear panels, providing a loop handle separable into two portions having structure for releasably joining the two portions, securing the loop handle to said panels on opposite sides of said fold line, folding said panels with said handle secured thereto so as to form a gusset having an inner fold region and a pair of outer fold regions such that said loop handle is secured to said gusset between said outer fold regions, and joining the side edges of said gusset and said front and rear panels.

15. Method according to claim 18 wherein said step of providing said web with a frangible region includes perforating said web.

16. Method according to claim 18 wherein said step of joining said side edges of said gusset and panels includes heat welding said side edges.