CN116438057A

CN116438057A - Buffering type web material capable of closing bag

Info

Publication number: CN116438057A
Application number: CN202180068719.7A
Authority: CN
Inventors: G·W·斯塔克斯; P·T·卡尔; M·J·霍斯肯
Original assignee: Sealed Air Corp
Current assignee: Sealed Air Corp
Priority date: 2020-10-08
Filing date: 2021-10-06
Publication date: 2023-07-14
Also published as: WO2022076499A1; EP4225654A1; US20230399144A1

Abstract

A web of preformed bags includes a sheet material and a cushioning material. The sheet material comprises two sheets arranged to form a series of pockets. The sheets are joined together to form the sides of each pocket. Each pocket is defined by an opening and a side of the sheet joined together. The cushioning material is coupled to the inner surface of the sheet in each pocket. The web further includes lines of weakness in at least one of the sheets between each of the pockets. After an object is loaded into one of the bags, the opening of said one of the bags is configured to be sealed closed with the object therein, such that the cushioning material in said one of the bags is arranged to cushion the object when said one of the bags is sealed closed.

Description

Buffering type web material capable of closing bag

Technical Field

The present disclosure is in the field of web materials (webs) of closable bags. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to webs of preformed cushion bags (cushioned bags) that are formed to enable quick formation of cushion mailers.

Background

U.S. patent No. 3,254,828 ("the' 828 patent"), the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference, relates to a web of rolled bags. The' 828 patent discloses a web of bags interconnected by lines of weakness, preferably in the form of perforations, wherein each bag is open on one face. In use, the bags are sequentially fed to the loading station. While in the loading station, each bag is blown open, the product is inserted and thereafter separated from the web, and the bags are then sealed to form the package, if desired. These container strips in the form of chains of pre-opened bags are either supplied in rolls as taught in the' 828 patent or are contained in cartons in the manner taught in U.S. patent No. 4,201,029, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Such webs have been sold under the trademark AUTOBAG by Automated Packaging Systems of Streetsboro, ohio.

U.S. patent No. 5,743,070 (the' 070 patent), which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, relates to a bag web having a longitudinal opening along the web. The' 070 patent also describes a machine that forms packages from a web and a process of manufacturing the packages. In one example, the web is first fed through a slitter that divides the top portion into two lips (or tabs) that are respectively grasped between the pairs of belts for transport through the loading section. An example of such a belt that transports a web through a loading section is described in U.S. patent No. 5,722,218, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. As the web is fed, the flaps are stretched to effect sequential opening of the side-joined pouches to receive the product to be packaged. Then, when the tab is grasped by the tape in the sealer section, the tab is returned to juxtaposed relationship and trimmed. An example of a band in a sealer section is described in U.S. patent No. 6,170,238, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Such webs and machines have been sold under the trademark SIDEPOUCH by Automated Packaging Systems of Streetsboro, ohio.

Disclosure of Invention

This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify key features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

In a first embodiment, a web of preformed bags includes a sheet material and a cushioning material. The sheet material includes a first sheet and a second sheet arranged to form a series of pockets. The first and second sheets are joined together to form sides of each pocket. Each pocket is defined by an opening and a side of the first and second sheets that are joined together. The cushioning material is coupled to the inner surfaces of the first and second sheets in each pocket. The web also includes lines of weakness in at least one of the first and second sheets between each pocket so that the pockets can be separated from the web by breaking the lines of weakness. After an object is loaded into one of the bags, the opening of said one of the bags is configured to be sealed closed with the object therein, such that the cushioning material in said one of the bags is arranged to cushion the object when said one of the bags is sealed closed.

In a second embodiment, the web of the first embodiment is configured such that the opening of the bag extends transversely across the web.

In a third embodiment, the web of the second embodiment is configured such that the cushioning material extends longitudinally along each of the first and second sheets.

In a fourth embodiment, the web of the third embodiment is configured such that the cushioning material is narrower across the web than either of the first and second sheets. The longitudinal edges of each of the first sheet and the second sheet are directly connected to each other to form sides of the bag.

In a fifth embodiment, the web of any of the second through third embodiments is configured such that the bottom of the bag is formed by sealing a portion of the cushioning material together across the web laterally.

In a sixth embodiment, the web of any of the second through fourth embodiments is configured such that the opening of each of the bags is configured to be sealed closed by sealing a portion of the cushioning material together transversely across the web.

In a seventh embodiment, the web of any of the preceding embodiments is configured such that the openings of the pouches extend in the web longitudinal direction.

In an eighth embodiment, the web of the seventh embodiment is configured such that the first sheet and the second sheet are formed from a single sheet material and the first sheet and the second sheet are separated by a longitudinal crease in the single sheet material.

In a ninth embodiment, the web of the eighth embodiment is configured such that the longitudinal crease forms the bottom of the pouch.

In a tenth embodiment, the web of any one of the eighth to ninth embodiments is configured such that the cushioning material is a single sheet of cushioning material extending longitudinally along the web.

In an eleventh embodiment, the web of the tenth embodiment is configured such that the cushioning material is narrower across the web than the single sheet material, and the longitudinal edges of the single sheet material are directly connected to each other to form a closed longitudinal channel proximate the opening of the bag.

In a twelfth embodiment, the web of the eleventh embodiment is configured such that the cushioning material is coupled to portions of the inner surfaces of the first and second sheets that are outside the closed longitudinal channels.

In a thirteenth embodiment, the web of any one of the eleventh to twelfth embodiments is configured such that the closed longitudinal channel comprises a longitudinal line of weakness configured to break to allow access to the opening of the pouch.

In a fourteenth embodiment, the web of any one of the eleventh to thirteenth embodiments further comprises a transverse seam extending from the longitudinal crease to the closed longitudinal channel. The transverse seams are located between the bags and form the sides of the bags.

In a fifteenth embodiment, the web of the fourteenth embodiment is configured such that the line of weakness extends through one of the transverse seams.

In a sixteenth embodiment, the web of any one of the fourteenth to fifteenth embodiments further comprises a set of cuts associated with one of the transverse seams. The one of the transverse seams is located between a first pocket and a second pocket of the pockets in the web. The set of cuts includes: a transverse cut in said one of the transverse seams extending from the closed longitudinal channel towards the longitudinal crease; a first longitudinal cut extending from the one of the transverse seams into the first bag; and a second longitudinal cut extending from the one of the transverse seams into the second bag.

In a seventeenth embodiment, the web of the sixteenth embodiment is configured such that the first longitudinal cut is one of a first plurality of cuts extending from the one of the transverse seams into the first bag and the second longitudinal cut is one of a second plurality of cuts extending from the one of the transverse seams into the second bag.

In an eighteenth embodiment, the web of any of the preceding embodiments is configured such that the sheet material comprises one or more of a polymer-based material, a fiber-based material, kraft paper, or a starch-based material.

In a nineteenth embodiment, the web of any of the preceding embodiments is configured such that the sheet material comprises an outer layer configured to have information printed thereon.

In a twentieth embodiment, the web of any of the preceding embodiments is configured such that the cushioning material comprises one or more of a cellular cushioning material, a fiber-based cushioning material, a impregnated paper cushioning material, or a sheet-like foam cushioning material.

Drawings

The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of the disclosed subject matter will become more readily appreciated as the same become better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGS. 1A and 1B respectively depict a front view and a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a web of material that may be used to form a web of prefabricated cushioning bags according to embodiments disclosed herein;

FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C depict front, longitudinal and transverse cross-sectional views, respectively, of a web of prefabricated bags made from the two-piece web shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, in accordance with embodiments disclosed herein;

FIGS. 2D, 2E and 2F depict front, longitudinal and transverse cross-sectional views, respectively, of the web shown in FIGS. 2A through 2C with product loaded into a preformed bag according to embodiments disclosed herein;

FIGS. 3A and 3B depict a front view and a cross-sectional view, respectively, of another embodiment of a web of material that may be used to form a web of prefabricated cushioning bags according to embodiments disclosed herein;

FIGS. 4A and 4B depict front and lateral cross-sectional views, respectively, of a web of prefabricated bags made from the two-piece web shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, in accordance with embodiments disclosed herein;

fig. 5A and 5B depict front and top views, respectively, of the web shown in fig. 4A and 4B and a portion of a machine capable of opening a bag in accordance with embodiments disclosed herein;

FIGS. 5C and 5D depict exploded and non-exploded cross-sectional views, respectively, of the web shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B and a portion of the machine shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, in accordance with embodiments disclosed herein;

FIGS. 5E and 5F depict front and cross-sectional side views, respectively, of the embodiment of the web shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, wherein an object is loaded into the bag and the bag is closed, in accordance with embodiments disclosed herein;

FIGS. 6A and 6B depict front and cross-sectional views, respectively, of an embodiment of a web according to embodiments disclosed herein that may be used in a single piece to form a web of preformed cushion bags;

FIGS. 7A, 7B and 7C depict front, longitudinal and transverse cross-sectional views, respectively, of a web of prefabricated bags made from the single piece web shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B in accordance with embodiments disclosed herein;

FIGS. 8A and 8B depict a front view and a lateral cross-sectional view, respectively, of a web of prefabricated bags made from a single piece of web according to embodiments disclosed herein;

FIGS. 9A and 9B depict front and cross-sectional views, respectively, of an embodiment of a web according to embodiments disclosed herein that may be used in a single piece to form a web of preformed cushion bags; and

fig. 10A and 10B depict a front view and a transverse cross-sectional view, respectively, of a web of prefabricated bags made from the single piece web shown in fig. 9A and 9B, in accordance with embodiments disclosed herein.

Detailed Description

The present disclosure describes embodiments of webs of prefabricated buffer bags that can be used to store and transport objects. The web of preformed bags includes a cushioning material (cushioning material) that can provide cushioning to objects loaded therein. The web also includes two sheets on either side of the bag, wherein the sheets are configured to provide physical protection and/or to provide a surface upon which information may be printed and/or applied. The web of preformed bags may be configured to be fed through a bag making machine that may assist and/or automate the opening, loading, and closing of the bags. The present disclosure includes various variations and configurations of such webs of prefabricated cushioning bags.

Fig. 1A and 1B depict front and cross-sectional views, respectively, of an embodiment of a web 110 that may be used to form a web of preformed buffer bags. In the depicted embodiment, web 110 includes sheet 112 and cushioning material 114. The sheet 112 may comprise one or more of the following materials, namely: polymer-based materials (e.g., plastic materials, polyethylene, cellophane, vinyl film, hydrochlorination rubber, cellulose acetate film, polystyrene, polypropylene), fiber-based materials (e.g., paper, kraft paper, cardboard), or any other type of material capable of forming the sides of a mailer. In some embodiments, the sheet 112 may be a single layer sheet or a multi-layer sheet. In the depicted embodiment, the sheet 112 includes an inner layer 116 and an outer layer 118. In some embodiments, the inner layer 116 is configured to be coupled to one or more of the cushioning material 114, another portion of the inner layer 116, or another sheet. Examples of such coupling of the inner layer 116 are described below. In some embodiments, outer layer 118 is configured to provide physical protection and/or to provide a surface upon which information (e.g., shipping labels, advertising material, etc.) may be printed and/or applied.

Cushioning material 114 may be any type of material that provides cushioning on the inner surface of sheet 112. In some embodiments, cushioning material 114 may include one or more of a cellular material, a foam sheet material, an expanded slit paper material, or any other cushioning material. In the depicted embodiment, the cushioning material 114 is a porous material. As used herein, the term "cellular material" herein may refer to BUBBLE cushioning material, such as BUBBLE sold by Sealed Air Corporation

An air cushioning material in which a first film or laminate is formed (e.g., thermoformed, embossed, calendared, or otherwise processed) to define a plurality of cavities, and a second film or laminate is adhered to the first film or laminate so as to close the cavities. As used herein, the term "cellular material" herein may also refer to inflatable cushioning materials, such as BUBBLE +.>

IB air cushioning material or +.A. sold by Sealed Air Corporation>

Air pillow gap fillingAn inflation material in which the inflatable web may be inflated and sealed to form an air-porous material. Examples of air porous materials are shown in U.S. patent nos. 3,142,599, 3,208,898, 3,285,793, 3,508,992, 3,586,565, 3,616,155, 3,660,189, 4,181,548, 4,184,904, 4,415,398, 4,576,669, 4,579,516, 6,800,162, 6,982,113, 7,018,495, 7,165,375, 7,220,476, 7,223,461, 7,429,304, 7,721,781, 7,950,433, 9,969,136, and 10,286,617, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

Cushioning material 114 may be coupled to the inner surface of sheet 112 in any of a variety of ways. In some examples, cushioning material 114 may be adhered to sheet 112, heat sealed to sheet 112, ultrasonically welded to sheet 112, or otherwise coupled in any other manner. In the embodiment shown in fig. 1A and 1B, cushioning material 114 is coupled to sheet 112 such that cushioning material 114 extends longitudinally along an inner surface of sheet 112. In the depicted embodiment, cushioning material 114 is not as wide as sheet 112, and cushioning material 114 is located on sheet 112 in the lateral direction such that a portion of the inner surface of sheet 112 remains exposed on either side of cushioning material 114. In some embodiments, the cushioning material 114 may be substantially centered on the sheet 112 in the cross-machine direction. In other embodiments, the cushioning material 114 may be offset from the center of the sheet 112 in the transverse direction.

Web 110 may be used to form a web of preformed buffer bags. Fig. 2A, 2B and 2C depict a front view, a longitudinal cross-sectional view and a transverse cross-sectional view, respectively, of a web 100 of preformed bags 102 made from two pieces of web 110. Two webs 110 (collectively webs 110) are joined together to form the preform bag 102. In the depicted embodiment, the sheets 112 of the web 110 are joined along a longitudinal seam 120. In the depicted embodiment, the longitudinal seam 120 is located on either side of the cushioning material 114 of the web 110 such that the longitudinal seam 120 forms the left and right sides of the bag 102. In some embodiments, the sheets 112 are joined together along the longitudinal seam 120 by any joining method, such as adhering the sheets 112 together, heat sealing the sheets 112 together, ultrasonically welding the sheets 112 together, or otherwise joining the sheets 112 together in any other way.

In the depicted embodiment, the sheets 112 of the web 110 are joined along a transverse seam 122. In the depicted embodiment, each transverse seam 122 is located between two consecutive bags 102. In some embodiments, the sheets 112 are joined together along the transverse seam 122 by any of: adhering the sheets 112 together, heat sealing the sheets 112 together, ultrasonically welding the sheets 112 together, or otherwise coupling the sheets 112 together in any other way. For example, the transverse seam 122 may be formed by heat sealing the sheet 112 and cushioning material 114 in the web 110. In some embodiments, the transverse seam 122 in the web 100 includes a line of weakness 124 that extends transversely through the web 100. In some embodiments, the line of weakness 124 is formed by perforations, slits, thinner portions of material, or other lines of weakness that allow the web 100 to be torn or otherwise ruptured through or near the transverse seam 122. The lines of weakness 124 form boundaries between the pouches 102. In some embodiments, each pouch 102 may be removed from web 100 by breaking lines of weakness 124 on either side of the pouch. In the depicted embodiment, the frangible line 124 is proximate the transverse seam 122 such that the transverse seam 122 forms the bottom of the pouch 102. In this manner, longitudinal seams 120 form the left and right sides of each bag 102, and transverse seams 122 form the bottom of bags 102.

In some embodiments, the pockets 102 in the web 100 include openings 126, which openings 126 allow objects to be loaded into the pockets between the sheets 112 of the web 110. In the depicted embodiment, the openings 126 are transverse cuts across only one of the two webs 110, and the openings 126 are substantially aligned with the lines of weakness 124. In some embodiments, the openings 126 are transverse cuts through the sheet 112 and cushioning material 114 of one of the webs 110. The opening 126 of one of the pouches 102 may be formed (e.g., pulled) into a two-dimensional shape, as shown in fig. 2B, to facilitate loading of objects into the pouch 102 through the opening 126. As used herein, an "object" may include a single item that can be packaged in a single bag, or a grouping of several different items that can be packaged in a single bag. Further, the object may include any incidental information item, such as a case slip, tracking code, manifest, invoice, machine-readable identifier (e.g., bar code or Quick Response (QR) code) that may be sensed by a reader (e.g., bar code scanner or camera), or any other information item.

Fig. 2D, 2E, and 2F depict front, longitudinal, and transverse cross-sectional views, respectively, of a web 100 having a product 104 loaded into a preformed bag 102. In the depicted embodiment, the opening 126 is proximate to the transverse seam 122. After one of the objects 104 has been loaded into one of the pouches 102, a closed seal 121 may be formed in the pouch 102 proximate the opening 126. In the depicted embodiment, the closure seal 121 is formed below the opening 126, as shown in fig. 2A, such that the closure seal 121 forms the top of the bag 102. The closure seal 121 may extend completely transversely across the pouch 102 (e.g., between the two longitudinal seams 120), as is the case in the embodiment depicted in fig. 2D-2F. In other embodiments, the closure seal 121 may extend laterally across the pouch 102, but not entirely between the two longitudinal seams 120, or the closure seal 121 may be intermittent to allow gas (e.g., air) to flow between the interior of the pouch 102 and the external environment. In some embodiments, the hermetic seal may be formed by a variety of techniques including, but not limited to, heat sealing, ultrasonic welding, gluing, and the like. In some embodiments, such opening, loading, and closing of the bag 102 may be aided by a bag machine. Examples of bag making machines that may be used in such processes are described in U.S. patent nos. 5,743,070, 6,543,201, 7,258,656, 7,654,064, 8,069,635, 8,549,822, 8,887,978, and 10,336,489, wherein the web has an opening extending transversely across the web, the contents of each of the foregoing patents being incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

Fig. 3A and 3B depict front and cross-sectional views, respectively, of an embodiment of a web 210 that may be used to form a web of preformed buffer bags. In the depicted embodiment, web 210 includes cushioning material 214. The sheet 212 may include one or more of any of the sheet materials described herein. In some embodiments, the sheet 212 may be a single layer sheet or a multi-layer sheet. In some embodiments, sheet 212 may include a single layer or multiple layers. In some embodiments, the inner surface of sheet 212 is configured to be coupled to one or more of cushioning material 214, another portion of the inner surface of sheet 212, or another sheet. Examples of such coupling of the inner surface of sheet 212 are described below. In some embodiments, the outer surface of the sheet 212 is configured to provide physical protection and/or to provide a surface upon which information (e.g., shipping labels, advertising material, etc.) may be printed and/or applied.

Cushioning material 214 may be any type of material that provides cushioning on the inner surface of sheet 212. Cushioning material 214 may include one or more of any of the cushioning materials described herein. In the depicted embodiment, the cushioning material 214 is a porous material. Cushioning material 214 may be coupled to the inner surface of sheet 212 in any of a variety of ways, including any of the ways of coupling cushioning material to sheet described herein. In the embodiment shown in fig. 3A and 3B, cushioning material 214 is coupled to sheet 212 such that cushioning material 214 extends longitudinally along an inner surface of sheet 212. In the depicted embodiment, the cushioning material 214 is not as wide as the sheet 212, and the cushioning material 214 is located on the sheet 212 in the lateral direction such that a portion of the inner surface of the sheet 212 remains exposed on either side of the cushioning material 214. In the depicted embodiment, the cushioning material 214 is offset from the center of the sheet 212 in the transverse direction such that the wide longitudinal side 216 and the narrow longitudinal side 218 of the inner surface of the sheet 212 remain exposed on either side of the cushioning material 214. In other embodiments, the cushioning material 214 may be substantially centered on the sheet 212 in the transverse direction.

Web 210 may be used to form a web of preformed buffer bags. Fig. 4A and 4B depict a front view and a transverse cross-sectional view, respectively, of a web 200 of preformed bags 202 made from two webs 210. Two webs 210 (collectively webs 210) are joined together to form the preform bag 202. In the depicted embodiment, the sheet 212 of the web 210 is joined along a longitudinal seam 220 joining the longitudinal edges of the wide longitudinal side 216 of the web 210 and a longitudinal seam 219 joining the longitudinal edges of the narrow longitudinal side 218 of the web 210. In the depicted embodiment,

longitudinal seams

220 and 218 are located on either side of cushioning material 214 of web 210 such that longitudinal seam 220 forms the top of bag 202 and longitudinal seam 219 forms the bottom of bag 202. In some embodiments, the sheets 212 are joined together along

longitudinal seams

220 and 218 by any of the joining methods described herein.

In the depicted embodiment, the sheet 212 of the web 210 is connected along a transverse seam 222. In the depicted embodiment, each transverse seam 222 is located between two consecutive bags 202. In some embodiments, the sheets 212 are joined together along the transverse seam 222 by any of the joining methods described herein. In some embodiments, the transverse seam 222 in the web 200 includes a line of weakness 224, the line of weakness 224 extending transversely across the web 200 from the longitudinal seam 219. In some embodiments, the line of weakness 224 is formed by perforations, slits, thinner portions of material, or other lines of weakness that allow the web 200 to be torn or otherwise ruptured through or near the transverse seam 222. The lines of weakness 224 form boundaries between the pockets 202. In some embodiments, each pouch 202 may be removed from web 200 by breaking lines of weakness 224 on either side of the pouch. In the depicted embodiment, the portion of the transverse seam 222 on one side of one of the lines of weakness 224 forms the left side of one of the bags 202 and the portion of the transverse seam 222 on the other side of the line of weakness 224 forms the right side of the other bag 202. In this manner,

longitudinal seams

220 and 218 and transverse seam 222 form the top, bottom, left side, and right side of each pouch 202.

In some embodiments, web 200 includes closed longitudinal channels 226. In the depicted embodiment, the closed longitudinal channels 226 are located between the wide longitudinal sides 216 of the sheet 212 of the web 210 and between the longitudinal seams 220 of the web 210 and the cushioning material 214. The closed longitudinal channel 226 is configured to open to allow loading of objects into the bag 202. In the depicted embodiment, the closed longitudinal channel 226 includes a longitudinal perforation line 228 that allows the closed longitudinal channel 226 to be opened by a blunt tool, examples of which are described below. The longitudinal perforation line 228 may be located near the bottom of the longitudinal seam 220, as shown in the depicted embodiment, or in one or both of the broad longitudinal sides 216 proximate the longitudinal seam 220. In other embodiments, the closed longitudinal channel 226 may not include a perforation line, but the closed longitudinal channel 226 may still be opened by a sharp tool (e.g., a blade, a knife, etc.) or a heated tool (e.g., a heated rod).

In some embodiments, the web 200 includes a set of cuts 230 associated with each transverse seam 222. The set of cuts 230 may be used to form the opening of the pouch 202 into a two-dimensional shape, as described in more detail below. In the depicted embodiment, each set of slits 230 includes a transverse slit 232, a first longitudinal slit 234, and a second longitudinal slit 236. A transverse cut 232 is in one of the transverse seams 222 and extends from the closed longitudinal channel 226 toward the longitudinal seam 219. A first longitudinal cut 234 extends into the pouch 202 from one of the transverse seams 222 on one side of the transverse seam 222 and a second longitudinal cut 236 extends into the pouch 202 from one of the transverse seams 222 on the other side of the transverse seam 222. Because the transverse slit 232, the first longitudinal slit 234, and the second longitudinal slit 236 form a T-shape, the configuration of the set of slits 230 is sometimes referred to as a "T-shaped slit". In the depicted embodiment, the first longitudinal cut 234 includes a plurality of cuts extending from the transverse seam 222 into the pouch 202 on one side of the transverse seam 222, and the second longitudinal cut 236 includes a plurality of cuts extending from the transverse seam 222 into the pouch 202 on the other side of the transverse seam 222. In the depicted embodiment, the transverse cuts 232 further include a plurality of cuts extending through the transverse seam 222. When one or more of each set of cuts 230 includes multiple cuts (as opposed to a single cut), the web 200 may be more likely to be transported (e.g., fed through an automatic bag machine) without seizing or hanging on any one set of cuts 230. In other embodiments, some or all of the cuts in each set of cuts 230 may be a single cut. The set of cuts 230 may facilitate opening of the bag 202 for loading objects into the bag 202, as described in the examples below.

Fig. 5A and 5B depict front and top views, respectively, of a portion of a web 200 and a machine 250 capable of opening bags 202. In some embodiments, the machine 250 is part of a bag machine. Examples of machines that may be used to open, fill, and close webs of bags having longitudinal product receiving openings are described in U.S. patent nos. 5,743,070, 5,722,218, 6,170,238, 7,258,656, 7,552,571, 8,887,978, and 9,617,102, the contents of each of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. The machine 250 includes a guide 252 and a plow 254. The guide 252 is configured to be inserted into the closed longitudinal channel 226 as the web 200 moves in the downstream direction 270. In the depicted embodiment, the plow is coupled to the guide 252 such that the plow 254 engages the longitudinal seam 220 as the web 200 moves in the downstream direction 270. The plow is shaped to exert a force on the longitudinal seam 220 and fracture the longitudinal perforation line 228 as the web 200 moves in the downstream direction 270. The breaking of the longitudinal perforation lines 228 allows the wide longitudinal sides 216 of the web 210 to separate from each other on either side of the plow 254.

The machine 250 also includes a carrier belt 256 and a retaining belt 258. In the depicted embodiment, one or each of the carrier belt 256 and the retention belt 258 are located on either side of the web 200. Each pair of carrier tape 256 and retaining tape 258 is configured to engage and retain one of the broad longitudinal sides 216 of web 210 after the broad longitudinal sides 216 of web 210 have been separated from each other by plow 254. In the depicted embodiment, after the wide longitudinal sides 216 of the web 210 have been separated, each wide longitudinal side 216 is fed between one of the carrier tapes 256 and one of the holding tapes 258. One carrier strip 256 and one retaining strip 258 of each pair are configured to clamp one of the wide longitudinal sides 216 therebetween to open the pouch. The cooperative operation of the carrier tape 256 and the retaining tape 258 is described below.

Fig. 5C and 5D depict an exploded cross-sectional view and an unopened cross-sectional view, respectively, of a portion of web 200 and machine 250. As can be seen in fig. 5C and 5D, the upper surface of each carrier strip 256 includes a slot that can receive one of the retaining strips 258 with one of the broad longitudinal sides 216 therebetween. After the broad longitudinal sides 216 are separated by the plow 254, the broad longitudinal sides 216 are fed toward the carrier tape 256. The retaining strap 258 is also lowered over the wide longitudinal side 216. The machine includes an insertion wheel 260. Each insertion wheel 260 is positioned over a slot of one of the carrier tapes 256 and is configured to bias one of the retaining tapes 258 into the slot of the carrier tape 256. With one of the broad longitudinal sides 216 positioned between the carrier tape 256 and the retaining tape 258, inserting the retaining tape 258 into the slot of the carrier tape 256 captures the broad longitudinal side 216 between the retaining tape 258 and the carrier tape 256 such that the broad longitudinal side 216 is securely retained.

Starting from the point where the two broad longitudinal sides 216 are held by the carrier belt 256 and the holding belt 258, the sides of the web 200 will follow the path of the carrier belt 256 and the holding belt 258. In the embodiment shown in fig. 5B, the paths of carrier tape 256 and retaining tape 258 diverge after the broad longitudinal side 216 is retained by carrier tape 256 and retaining tape 258. This bifurcation causes groups of cuts 230 in web 210 to form a break edge 231. The break edge 231 allows the pouch 202 to be opened such that the opening of the pouch 202 has a two-dimensional shape. In the depicted embodiment, the pouch 202 is opened to form an irregular hexagonal opening. In other embodiments, the opening of the pouch 202 may have any other type of two-dimensional shape, such as a regular hexagonal, rectangular, diamond shape, or any other regular or irregular two-dimensional shape. While the carrier 256 and the retaining 258 bands hold the bag 202 open, objects may be loaded into the bag 202. For example, when the bags 202 are open, a user may manually insert (e.g., discard) an object into one of the bags 202. In another example, an automatic dispenser may insert objects into the bag 202 when the bag 202 is open.

After the bag 202 has been opened for loading, the carrier tape 256 and the retaining tape 258 may continue to feed the bag 202 in the downstream direction 270, and the carrier tape 256 and the retaining tape 258 may again converge to bring the wide longitudinal sides 216 back together. At that time, the pouch 202 may be closed. Fig. 5E and 5F depict front and cross-sectional side views, respectively, of an embodiment of web 200, wherein object 204 is loaded into bag 202 and bag 202 is closed. In the depicted embodiment, the closure seal 221 has been formed across the top of the transverse seam 222, as shown in fig. 5E, such that the closure seal 221 forms the top of the pouch 202. The closure seal 221 may extend entirely transversely across the pouch 202 (e.g., between the longitudinal seals 222), as is the case in the embodiment depicted in fig. 5E and 5F. In other embodiments, the closure seal 221 may extend laterally across the pouch 202, but not entirely between the longitudinal seams 222, or the closure seal 221 may be intermittent to allow gas (e.g., air) to flow between the interior of the pouch 202 and the external environment. In some embodiments, the hermetic seal may be formed by a variety of techniques including, but not limited to, heat sealing, ultrasonic welding, gluing, and the like.

In the depicted embodiment, the portion of the wide longitudinal side 216 above the closure seal 221 has been removed (e.g., cut away) so that a large amount of excess material does not protrude beyond the closure seal 221. At the moment shown in fig. 5E and 5F, pouch 202 can be separated from web 200 by breaking line of weakness 224 and/or sheet 212 on either side of break edge 231. This breaks the bags apart from one another while leaving a portion of the longitudinal seal 222 on either side of the slit to form the sides of the bag 202. The pouch 202 may include a label (e.g., shipping label) that is printed or applied to one or both of the sheets 212. It will be appreciated that the label may be printed or applied to one of the sheets 212 at any time, such as before the web 200 is engaged by the machine 250, at any time during processing of the web 200, while the bag 202 is closed by remaining connected to the web 200 (e.g., in the case shown in fig. 5E and 5F), after the bag 202 has been disconnected from the web 200, or at any other time. After the bag 202 is labeled and disconnected from the web 200, the bag 202 may be used to transport objects or for any other suitable purpose.

Embodiments of the webs of preformed bags described above include a plurality of webs joined together to form a web of preformed bags. For example, web 100 includes two webs 110 of web 100 that are joined together to form preform bag 102, and web 200 includes two webs 210 of web 200 that are joined together to form preform bag 202. In other embodiments, the web of preformed bags may be formed from a single web that is folded or otherwise juxtaposed against itself to form the web of preformed bags. Examples of a single web for forming the web of preformed bags are described in detail below.

Fig. 6A and 6B depict front and cross-sectional views, respectively, of an embodiment of a web 310, a single piece of which web 310 may be used to form a web of preformed cushion bags. In the depicted embodiment, web 310 includes a sheet 312 and a cushioning material 314. The sheet 312 may comprise any material of the sheets described herein. In some embodiments, sheet 312 includes an inner surface and an outer surface. In some embodiments, a portion of the inner surface of sheet 312 is configured to be coupled to cushioning material 314. In the depicted embodiment, the portions of the inner surface of sheet 312 not covered by cushioning material 314 are configured to be coupled to each other. In some embodiments, the outer surface of the sheet 312 is configured to provide physical protection and/or to provide a surface upon which information (e.g., shipping labels, advertising material, etc.) may be printed and/or applied.

Cushioning material 314 may be any type of material that provides cushioning on the inner surface of sheet 312. In some embodiments, cushioning material 314 may include any of the types of cushioning materials described herein. Cushioning material 314 may be coupled to the inner surface of sheet 312 in any of a variety of ways. In some examples, cushioning material 314 may be adhered to sheet 312, heat sealed to sheet 312, ultrasonically welded to sheet 312, or otherwise coupled in any other manner. In the embodiment shown in fig. 6A and 6B, cushioning material 314 is coupled to sheet 312 such that cushioning material 314 extends longitudinally along an inner surface of sheet 312. In the depicted embodiment, cushioning material 314 is not as wide as sheet 312, and cushioning material 314 is located on sheet 312 in the lateral direction such that a portion of the inner surface of sheet 312 remains exposed on either side of cushioning material 314. In some embodiments, the cushioning material 314 may be substantially centered on the sheet 312 in the cross-machine direction. In other embodiments, the cushioning material 314 may be offset from the center of the sheet 312 in the lateral direction. When comparing web 310 in fig. 6A and 6B with web 110 in fig. 1A and 1B, sheet 312 of web 310 is wider in the cross-machine direction than sheet 112 of web 110 and cushioning material 314 is wider in the cross-machine direction than cushioning material 114 of web 110. The width of the sheet 312 and cushioning material 314 allows the web 310 to be used to form a web of preformed bags.

Fig. 7A, 7B, and 7C depict a front view, a longitudinal cross-sectional view, and a transverse cross-sectional view, respectively, of a web 300 of preformed bags 302 made from a single piece of web 310. Web 310 has been folded along longitudinal crease 318 and joined along longitudinal seam 320 to form preform bag 302. In the depicted embodiment, the portion of the sheet 312 that is connected along the longitudinal seam 320 is the portion of the sheet 312 along the longitudinal edge of the web 310 that is not covered by the cushioning material 314. In the illustrated embodiment, the longitudinal seam 320 is located on the opposite side of the web 300 from the longitudinal crease 318 such that the longitudinal seam 320 and the longitudinal crease 318 form the left and right sides of the pouch 302, as shown in fig. 7A. In some embodiments, the sheets 312 are joined together along the longitudinal seam 320 by any of the joining methods described herein (e.g., adhesion, heat sealing, ultrasonic welding, or any other joining method).

In the depicted embodiment, the sheet 312 of web 310 is also joined along a transverse seam 322. In the depicted embodiment, each transverse seam 322 is located between two consecutive bags 302. In some embodiments, the sheets 312 are joined together along the transverse seam 322 by any of the joining methods described herein (e.g., adhesion, heat sealing, ultrasonic welding, or any other joining method). For example, the transverse seam 322 may be formed by heat sealing the sheet 312 and the cushioning material 314 in the web 310. In some embodiments, the transverse seam 322 in the web 300 includes a line of weakness 324 that extends transversely through the web 300. In some embodiments, the line of weakness 324 is formed by perforations, slits, thinner portions of material, or other lines of weakness that allow the web 300 to be torn or otherwise broken through or near the transverse seam 322. The lines of weakness 324 form boundaries between the pouches 302. In some embodiments, each bag 302 may be removed from web 300 by breaking lines of weakness 324 on either side of the bag. In the depicted embodiment, the line of weakness 324 is proximate the transverse seam 322 such that the transverse seam 322 forms the bottom of the pouch 302. In this manner, longitudinal seam 320, longitudinal crease 318, and transverse seam 322 form the left, right, and bottom sides, respectively, of each pouch 302.

In some embodiments, the pockets 302 in the web 300 include an opening 326, the opening 326 allowing objects to be loaded into the pockets between the two sides of the sheet 312 of the web 310. In the depicted embodiment, the opening 326 is a transverse cut across only one of the two webs 310, and the opening 326 is substantially aligned with the line of weakness 324. In some embodiments, the opening 326 is a transverse cut through the sheet 312 and cushioning material 314 through a portion of the web 310 on one side of the longitudinal crease 318. The opening 326 of one of the bags 302 may be formed (e.g., pulled) into a two-dimensional shape, as shown in fig. 7B, to facilitate loading of objects into the bag 302 through the opening 326.

After the objects have been loaded into one of the bags 302, the bags may be closed. For example, a closed seal may be formed in the bag 302 proximate the opening 326. The closure seal may be formed in bag 302 in a manner similar to that of closure seal 121 in bag 102, as shown in fig. 2D, 2E, and 2F. For example, a closed seal may be formed below the opening 326, as shown in fig. 2A, such that the closed seal forms the top of the bag 302. The closure seal may extend entirely transversely across the pouch 302 (e.g., between the longitudinal crease 318 and the longitudinal seam 320). In another example, the closure seal may extend laterally across the pouch 302, but not entirely between the longitudinal crease 318 and the longitudinal seam 320, or the closure seal may be intermittent to allow gas (e.g., air) to flow between the interior of the pouch 302 and the external environment. In some embodiments, the hermetic seal may be formed by a variety of techniques including, but not limited to, heat sealing, ultrasonic welding, gluing, and the like. In some embodiments, such opening, loading, and closing of the bag 302 may be aided by a bag machine.

Fig. 8A and 8B depict a front view and a lateral cross-sectional view, respectively, of a web 400 of preformed bags 402 made from a single piece of web 410. Web 410 is similar to web 310 in that web 410 has a sheet 412 and a cushioning material 414 attached thereto. In the depicted embodiment, the cushioning material 414 is substantially centered on the sheet 412 in the transverse direction. Web 410 differs from web 310 in that the longitudinal sides 416 of sheet 412, i.e., the longitudinal edges of sheet 412 not covered by cushioning material 414, are wider in the cross-machine direction than the corresponding longitudinal sides of sheet 312 in web 310. In web 410, sheet 412 may comprise any type of sheet material, and cushioning material 414 may be any type of cushioning material.

In the embodiment shown in fig. 8A and 8B, web 410 has been folded along longitudinal crease 418 and joined together along longitudinal seam 420 to form web 400 of preformed bags 402. In the depicted embodiment, the longitudinal sides 416 of the web 410 are joined together near the longitudinal edges of the sheet 412 to form a longitudinal seam 420. In the depicted embodiment, the longitudinal seam 420 is positioned opposite the longitudinal crease 418 such that the longitudinal seam 420 forms a top of the bag 402 and the longitudinal crease 418 forms a bottom of the bag 402. In some embodiments, the sheets 412 are joined together along a longitudinal seam 420 by any of the joining methods described herein.

In the depicted embodiment, the sheet 412 of the web 410 is further connected along a transverse seam 422. In the depicted embodiment, each transverse seam 422 is located between two consecutive bags 402. In some embodiments, the sheets 412 are joined together along the transverse seam 422 by any of the joining methods described herein. In some embodiments, the transverse seam 422 in the web 400 includes a line of weakness 424, the line of weakness 424 extending transversely across the web 400 from the longitudinal crease 418. In some embodiments, the frangible line 424 is formed by perforations, slits, thinner portions of material, or other frangible lines that allow the web 400 to be torn or otherwise broken through or near the transverse seam 422. The lines of weakness 424 form the boundaries between the pouches 402. In some embodiments, each bag 402 may be removed from web 400 by breaking frangible lines 424 on either side of the bag. In the depicted embodiment, the portion of the transverse seam 422 on one side of one of the lines of weakness 424 forms the left side of one of the bags 402, and the portion of the transverse seam 422 on the other side of the line of weakness 424 forms the right side of the other bag 402. In this manner, longitudinal seam 420, longitudinal crease 418, and transverse seam 422 form the top, bottom, and left and right sides of each bag 402.

In some embodiments, web 400 includes closed longitudinal channels 426. In the depicted embodiment, the closed longitudinal channels 426 are located between the longitudinal sides 416 of the sheet 412 of the web 410 and between the longitudinal seam 420 of the web 410 and the cushioning material 414. The closed longitudinal channel 426 is configured to open to allow loading of objects into the bag 402. In the depicted embodiment, the closed longitudinal channel 426 includes a longitudinal perforation line 428 that allows the closed longitudinal channel 426 to be opened by a blunt tool (e.g., plow 254 in machine 250). The longitudinal perforation line 428 may be located near the bottom of the longitudinal seam 420, as shown in the depicted embodiment, or in one or both of the longitudinal sides 416 proximate the longitudinal seam 420. In other embodiments, the closed longitudinal channel 426 may not include a perforation line, but the closed longitudinal channel 426 may still be opened by a sharp tool (e.g., a blade, a knife, etc.) or a heated tool (e.g., a heated rod).

In some embodiments, the web 400 includes a set of cuts 430 associated with each transverse seam 422. The set of cuts 430 may be used to form the opening of the bag 402 into a two-dimensional shape. In the depicted embodiment, each set of slits 430 includes a transverse slit 432, a first longitudinal slit 434, and a second longitudinal slit 436. A transverse cut 432 is in one of the transverse seams 422 and extends from the closed longitudinal channel 426 toward the longitudinal crease 418. A first longitudinal cut 434 extends into the bag 402 from one of the transverse seams 422 on one side of the transverse seam 422 and a second longitudinal cut 436 extends into the bag 402 from one of the transverse seams 422 on the other side of the transverse seam 422. Because transverse incision 432, first longitudinal incision 434, and second longitudinal incision 436 form a T-shape, the configuration of set of incisions 430 is sometimes referred to as a "T-shaped incision. In the depicted embodiment, the first longitudinal cut 434 includes a plurality of cuts extending from the transverse seam 422 into the bag 402 on one side of the transverse seam 422, and the second longitudinal cut 436 includes a plurality of cuts extending from the transverse seam 422 into the bag 402 on the other side of the transverse seam 422. In the depicted embodiment, transverse cut 432 also includes a plurality of cuts extending through transverse seam 422. When one or more of each set of slits 430 includes multiple slits (as opposed to a single slit), web 400 may be more likely to be transported (e.g., fed through an automatic bag machine) without seizing or hanging on any one set of slits 430. In other embodiments, some or all of the cuts in each set of cuts 430 may be a single cut. The set of cuts 430 may facilitate opening of the bag 402 for loading objects into the bag 402.

Web 400 of preformed bags 402 may be used similar to the use of web 200 shown in fig. 5A-5F. For example, web 400 of preformed bags 402 may be fed on a bag making machine that includes machine 250. As the web 400 is fed in the downstream direction 270, the guides 252 may be inserted into the closed longitudinal channels 426 and the plow may engage the longitudinal seam 420 to fracture the longitudinal perforation lines 428. The breaking of the longitudinal perforation lines 428 allows the longitudinal sides 416 of the web 410 to separate from each other on either side of the plow 254 and be engaged by the carrier tape 256 and the retaining tape 258. The carrier tape 256 and the retaining tape 258 may bifurcate the longitudinal side 416 of the web 410 to sequentially open the pouches 402, allowing the pouches 402 to be filled with objects (e.g., manually or in an automated fashion). The carrier strip 256 and the retaining strip 258 may further allow the sides of the bag 402 to be brought together so that a closed seal may be formed in the bag 402. At that time, the pouches 402 may be separated from the web 400 by breaking the frangible lines 424 between the pouches 402.

In some cases, the cushioning material in the web may facilitate folding such that longitudinal folding may be performed in the web by the cushioning material. For example, in an embodiment of web 300, web 310 is folded about longitudinal crease 318 by cushioning material 314. Similarly, in the embodiment of web 400, web 410 is folded about longitudinal crease 418 by cushioning material 414. However, in other cases, the cushioning material in the web may be disadvantageous for folding, making longitudinal folding in the web through the cushioning material impractical or impossible. In this case, it may be advantageous to have a gap in the cushioning material to allow longitudinal folding of the web.

Fig. 9A and 9B depict front and cross-sectional views, respectively, of an embodiment of a web 510, a single piece of which web 510 may be used to form a web of preformed cushion bags. In the depicted embodiment, the web 510 includes a sheet 512 and a buffer material 514. The sheet 512 may comprise any material of the sheets described herein. In some embodiments, sheet 512 includes an inner surface and an outer surface. In some embodiments, a portion of the inner surface of sheet 512 is configured to be coupled to cushioning material 514. In the depicted embodiment, the cushioning material 514 includes two pieces of cushioning material 514 extending longitudinally along the sheet 512 and separated by a gap 515. In the depicted embodiment, gap 515 is substantially centered laterally on sheet 512. In some embodiments, the outer surface of the sheet 512 is configured to provide physical protection and/or to provide a surface upon which information (e.g., shipping labels, advertising material, etc.) may be printed and/or applied.

Cushioning material 514 may be any type of material that provides cushioning on the inner surface of sheet 512. In some embodiments, cushioning material 514 may include any of the types of cushioning materials described herein. Cushioning material 514 may be coupled to the inner surface of sheet 512 in any of a variety of ways. In some examples, cushioning material 514 may be adhered to sheet 512, heat sealed to sheet 512, ultrasonically welded to sheet 512, or otherwise coupled in any other manner. In the embodiment shown in fig. 9A and 9B, the cushioning material 514 is coupled to the sheet 512 such that the cushioning material 514 extends longitudinally along the inner surface of the sheet 512. The web 510 includes a longitudinal side 516 of the sheet 512 on either side of two pieces of cushioning material 514 near the longitudinal edges of the sheet 512. The portions of the inner surface of the sheet 512 in the longitudinal sides 516 are configured to be coupled to each other.

Fig. 10A and 10B depict a front view and a transverse cross-sectional view, respectively, of a web 500 of prefabricated bags 502 made from a single piece of web 510. In the embodiment shown in fig. 8A and 8B, web 510 has been folded along longitudinal crease 518 in gap 515 between two pieces of cushioning material 514. The gap 515 between the cushioning material 514 may facilitate folding of the web 510 along the longitudinal crease 518 and reduce stress on the sheet 512 at the longitudinal crease 518. In the depicted embodiment, the sheets 512 are joined together along a longitudinal seam 520 to form the web 500 of preformed bags 502. In the depicted embodiment, the longitudinal sides 516 of the web 510 are joined together near the longitudinal edges of the sheet 512 to form a longitudinal seam 520. In the depicted embodiment, the longitudinal seam 520 is positioned opposite the longitudinal crease 518 such that the longitudinal seam 520 forms a top of the pouch 502 and the longitudinal crease 518 forms a bottom of the pouch 502. In some embodiments, the sheets 512 are joined together along a longitudinal seam 520 by any of the joining methods described herein.

In the depicted embodiment, the sheet 512 of the web 510 is further joined along a transverse seam 522. In the depicted embodiment, each transverse seam 522 is located between two consecutive pockets 502. In some embodiments, the sheets 512 are joined together along a transverse seam 522 by any of the joining methods described herein. In some embodiments, the transverse seam 522 in the web 500 includes a line of weakness 524, the line of weakness 524 extending transversely across the web 500 from the longitudinal crease 518. In some embodiments, the frangible line 524 is formed by a perforation, slit, thinner portion of material, or other frangible line that allows the web 500 to be torn or otherwise broken through or near the transverse seam 522. The frangible lines 524 form the boundaries between the bags 502. In some embodiments, each pouch 502 may be removed from web 500 by breaking frangible lines 524 on either side of the pouch. In the depicted embodiment, the portion of transverse seam 522 on one side of one of lines of weakness 524 forms the left side of one of bags 502 and the portion of transverse seam 522 on the other side of line of weakness 524 forms the right side of the other bag 502. In this manner, longitudinal seam 520, longitudinal crease 518, and transverse seam 522 form the top, bottom, and left and right sides of each pouch 502.

In some embodiments, the web 500 includes a closed longitudinal channel 526. In the depicted embodiment, the closed longitudinal channels 526 are located between the longitudinal sides 516 of the sheet 512 of the web 510 and between the longitudinal seam 520 of the web 510 and the cushioning material 514. The closed longitudinal channel 526 is configured to open to allow loading of objects into the bag 502. In the depicted embodiment, the closed longitudinal channel 526 includes a longitudinal perforation line 528 that allows the closed longitudinal channel 526 to be opened by a blunt tool (e.g., plow 254 in machine 250). The longitudinal perforation line 528 may be located near the bottom of the longitudinal seam 520, as shown in the depicted embodiment, or in one or both of the longitudinal sides 516 proximate the longitudinal seam 520. In other embodiments, the closed longitudinal channel 526 may not include a perforation line, but the closed longitudinal channel 526 may still be opened by a sharp tool (e.g., a blade, a knife, etc.) or a heated tool (e.g., a heated rod).

In some embodiments, web 500 includes a set of cuts 530 associated with each transverse seam 522. The set of cuts 530 may be used to form the opening of the bag 502 into a two-dimensional shape. In the depicted embodiment, each set of slits 530 includes a transverse slit 532, a first longitudinal slit 534, and a second longitudinal slit 536. A transverse cut 532 is in one of the transverse seams 522 and extends from the closed longitudinal channel 526 toward the longitudinal crease 518. A first longitudinal cut 534 extends into the pouch 502 from one of the transverse seams 522 on one side of the transverse seam 522 and a second longitudinal cut 536 extends into the pouch 502 from one of the transverse seams 522 on the other side of the transverse seam 522. Because the transverse slit 532, the first longitudinal slit 534, and the second longitudinal slit 536 form a T-shape, the configuration of the set of slits 530 is sometimes referred to as a "T-shaped slit". In the depicted embodiment, the first longitudinal cut 534 includes a plurality of cuts extending from the transverse seam 522 into the bag 502 on one side of the transverse seam 522, and the second longitudinal cut 536 includes a plurality of cuts extending from the transverse seam 522 into the bag 502 on the other side of the transverse seam 522. In the depicted embodiment, the transverse cuts 532 further include a plurality of cuts extending through the transverse seam 522. When one or more of each set of slits 530 includes multiple slits (as opposed to a single slit), web 500 may be more likely to be transported (e.g., fed through an automatic bag machine) without seizing or hanging on any one set of slits 530. In other embodiments, some or all of the cuts in each set of cuts 530 may be a single cut. The set of cuts 530 may facilitate opening of the bag 502 for loading objects into the bag 502.

Web 500 of preformed bags 502 may be used similar to the use of web 200 shown in fig. 5A-5F. For example, web 500 of preformed bags 502 may be fed on a bag making machine that includes machine 250. As the web 500 is fed in the downstream direction 270, the guides 252 may be inserted into the closed longitudinal channels 526 and the plow may engage the longitudinal seam 520 to fracture the longitudinal perforation lines 528. The breaking of the longitudinal perforation lines 528 allows the longitudinal sides 516 of the web 510 to separate from each other on either side of the plow 254 and be engaged by the carrier tape 256 and the retaining tape 258. The carrier tape 256 and the retaining tape 258 may bifurcate the longitudinal sides 516 of the web 510 to sequentially open the bags 502, allowing the bags 502 to be filled with objects (e.g., manually filled or filled in an automated manner). The carrier band 256 and the retaining band 258 may further allow the sides of the bag 502 to be brought together so that a closed seal may be formed in the bag 502. At that time, the pouches 502 may be separated from the web 500 by breaking the frangible lines 424 between the pouches 402.

Although not depicted herein, it will be apparent that web 510, or any other variation where there is a longitudinal gap between two pieces of cushioning material, may be used to form webs of other forms of preformed bags, such as webs similar to web 300 shown in fig. 7A-7C. In particular, web 510 may be folded in the gap to form the right side of the bag, and longitudinal sides 516 of web 510 may be sealed to each other to form the left side of the bag. The preformed seal may be formed transversely across the web to form the bottom of the bag. After one of the bags is filled with the object, a seal may be formed across the web to close the bag.

For purposes of this disclosure, terms such as "upper," "lower," "vertical," "horizontal," "inward," "outward," "inner," "outer," "front," "rear," and the like are to be construed as descriptive, and not limiting the scope of the claimed subject matter. Furthermore, the use of "including," "comprising," or "having" and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. Unless otherwise limited, the terms "connected," "coupled," and "mounted" and variations thereof herein are used broadly and encompass both direct and indirect connections, couplings, and mountings. Unless otherwise indicated, the terms "substantially," "approximately," and the like are used to mean within 5% of the target value.

The principles, representative embodiments and modes of operation of the present disclosure have been described in the foregoing description. However, aspects of the present disclosure that are intended to be protected should not be construed as limited to the particular embodiments disclosed. Further, the embodiments described herein are to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive. It will be appreciated that variations and changes can be made by others, and equivalents employed, without departing from the spirit of the disclosure. Accordingly, all such modifications, changes, and equivalents are expressly intended to be within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as claimed.

Claims

1. A web of preformed bags comprising:

a sheet material comprising a first sheet and a second sheet, wherein the first sheet and the second sheet are arranged to form a series of pockets, wherein the first sheet and the second sheet are joined together to form sides of each of the pockets, wherein each of the pockets is defined by an opening and the sides of the first sheet and the second sheet joined together;

a cushioning material coupled to an inner surface of the first sheet and the second sheet in each of the bags; and

a line of weakness in at least one of the first sheet and the second sheet between each of the pouches, wherein the pouches are separable from the web by breaking the line of weakness;

wherein after an object is loaded into one of the bags, the opening of the one of the bags is configured to be sealed closed with the object therein such that the cushioning material in the one of the bags is arranged to cushion the object when the one of the bags is sealed closed.

2. The web of claim 1, wherein the opening of the bag extends transversely across the web.

3. The web of claim 2, wherein the cushioning material extends longitudinally along each of the first sheet and the second sheet.

4. A web according to claim 3, wherein the cushioning material is narrower across the web than either of the first and second sheets, and wherein the longitudinal edges of each of the first and second sheets are directly connected to each other to form sides of the bag.

5. The web of claim 2, wherein the bottom of the pocket is formed by sealing a portion of the cushioning material together transversely across the web.

6. The web of claim 2, wherein the opening of each of the pockets is configured to be sealed closed by sealing a portion of the cushioning material together transversely across the web.

7. The web of claim 1, wherein the opening of the bag extends longitudinally along the web.

8. The web of claim 7, wherein the first sheet and the second sheet are formed from a single sheet material, and wherein the first sheet and the second sheet are separated by a longitudinal crease in the single sheet material.

9. The web of claim 8, wherein the longitudinal crease forms a bottom of the pouch.

10. The web of claim 8, wherein the cushioning material is a single sheet of cushioning material extending longitudinally of the web.

11. The web of claim 10, wherein the cushioning material is narrower across the web than the single sheet material, and wherein longitudinal edges of the single sheet material are directly connected to each other to form a closed longitudinal channel proximate the opening of the bag.

12. The web of claim 11, wherein the cushioning material is coupled to portions of the inner surfaces of the first and second sheets that are outside of the closed longitudinal channel.

13. The web of claim 11, wherein the closed longitudinal channel comprises a longitudinal line of weakness configured to break to allow access to the opening of the pouch.

14. The web of claim 11, further comprising:

a transverse seam extending from the longitudinal crease to the closed longitudinal channel, wherein the transverse seam is located between the pouches and forms sides of the pouches.

15. The web of claim 14, wherein the line of weakness extends through one of the transverse seams.

16. The web of claim 14, further comprising a set of cuts associated with one of the transverse seams, wherein the one of the transverse seams is located between a first pocket and a second pocket of the pockets in the web, wherein the set of cuts comprises:

a transverse cut in said one of said transverse seams extending from said closed longitudinal channel toward said longitudinal crease;

a first longitudinal cut extending from said one of said transverse seams into said first bag; and

a second longitudinal cut extending from said one of said transverse seams into said second bag.

17. The web of claim 16, wherein:

the first longitudinal cut includes a first plurality of cuts extending from the one of the transverse seams into the first bag; and

the second longitudinal cut includes a second plurality of cuts extending from the one of the transverse seams into the second bag.

18. The web of claim 1, wherein the sheet material comprises one or more of a polymer-based material, a fiber-based material, kraft paper, or a starch-based material.

19. The web of claim 1, wherein the sheet material comprises an outer layer configured to have information printed thereon.

20. The web of claim 1, wherein the cushioning material comprises one or more of a porous cushioning material, a fiber-based cushioning material, a impregnated paper cushioning material, or a sheet-like foam cushioning material.