DE69702081T2 - Bag made from a sheet and a plastic net, for containing loose products, especially fruit and vegetable products - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a bag for holding loose products, in particular fruit and vegetable products.

Conventional bags for containing loose products, in particular fruit and vegetable products such as citrus fruits, made from a net made of cotton or synthetic fibre, are already widely available commercially. It has also been proposed to replace the net made of a thread with an extruded net made of plastic with a polygonal mesh. In particular, in this last type of bag, the net is folded over and connected via thermal bonding lines to form a transport bag with a handle element on the opening side formed by a thermally bonded band made of plastic.

Conventional bags have some major disadvantages. First, the bag takes on a relatively flat shape, which reduces its capacity.

Furthermore, the plastic net has a strength limit that does not allow the bag to be adequately loaded.

GB-A-1133657 describes a packaging bag with the combination of the features set out in the preamble of the following claim 1.

A fundamental aim of the present invention is therefore to provide a bag which does not have the aforementioned disadvantages, i.e. with a greater loading resistance and a larger capacity than conventional bags.

Within the framework of this aim, an object of the present invention is to provide a bag which can be easily produced starting from conventional commercially available elements and materials and which is furthermore highly competitive from a purely economic point of view.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a bag which, while having the same weight as other packages, is less voluminous on the outside.

According to the invention there is provided a bag as defined in the appended claims.

The particular features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of some preferred embodiments of a bag, illustrated purely by way of non-limiting example in the attached drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 - is a perspective view of a bag according to a first embodiment;

Fig. 2 - is a perspective view of the bag according to Fig. 1 from the opposite side;

and

Fig. 3 - is a perspective view of a bag according to a second embodiment of the invention.

With reference to Figures 1 and 2, the bag according to a first embodiment is generally indicated by the reference numeral 1 and comprises a pocket 2 formed by joining a net made of plastic, for example but not necessarily of a so-called extruded type, to a film of plastic material, the net and the film being indicated by the reference numerals 3 and 4 respectively.

The net 3 and the film 4 are connected via longitudinal thermal connecting lines so that two opposite sides of the bag 2 are formed, which are connected to one another via two corresponding, laterally extending, accordion-like sections 5 and 6.

Preferably, the accordion-like sections 5 and 6 consist of the net 3, although they can also be made of the foil 4.

Advantageously, the longitudinal thermal connection lines 7 and 8 between the net 3 and the film 4 run along the folding edges formed by the accordion-like sections 5 and 6 with respect to the film 4.

The net 3 and the film 4 are thermally connected not only longitudinally, but also transversely along thermal connection lines 9, 10 and 11. The lower thermal connection line 9 closes the bag to form the bottom, whereas the upper thermal connection lines 10 and 11 are intended to close the opening for introducing the products into the bag 2 and form a band 12 in which at least one opening is provided. In Fig. 1, two openings 13 and 14 are provided. The band 12 and the openings 13 and 14 form the handle of the bag.

After the products have been introduced and the product introduction opening has been closed, the pocket 2 takes on a prism-like shape due to the special design of the accordion-like sections 5 and 6, which provides a high holding capacity.

It is obvious that the invention described fully meets the intended aim and objectives. The connection of the foil 4 to the net 3 is particularly important and ensures:

a) greater strength of the thermal connections 7-11, since the connection with the foil 4 creates a larger surface for connection to the mesh 3;

b) a greater loading resistance of the bag due to the greater load-bearing capacity of the film 4, which provides a support function;

c) the possibility of creating a firmer and more comfortable carrying handle;

d) the possibility of applying the film 4 for the external application of labels and symbols relating to the nature and characteristics of the products contained in the bag;

e) a bag in which the products contained remain fully visible and ventilated and are less exposed to spoilage.

The invention described allows for a multitude of modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the inventive concept.

Fig. 3 is a view of a second embodiment of the present invention, in which the sheet of plastic material also exerts an influence on a part of the side of the net 3 by occupying a central band 15. In this case, the bag 2 is even more rigid than the bag according to the first embodiment, while the central band provides a larger surface that can be used to promote the product. In the applied embodiment of the invention, both the materials used and the shapes and dimensions can vary as desired. It is possible to use any usable plastic material, e.g. polypropylene or polyethylene, for the net and for the sheet. Furthermore, the net can be coupled to the sheet by sewing instead of by thermal bonding.

Where in a claim the recited technical features are followed by reference signs, these reference signs have been introduced for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly such reference signs have no limiting effect on the interpretation of any element identified by such reference signs in the context of an example.

Claims (3)

1. Bag (1) for containing loose products, in particular fruit and vegetable products, with a pocket (2) composed of a net (3) forming one side of the bag and a plastic film (4) forming another side of the bag, the net and the film being connected to each other to form the bag, to form the bottom at the lower end thereof and a handle for carrying the bag at the upper end thereof, characterized, that the net and the film are connected to each other via elongated thermal connection lines (7, 8) to form lateral accordion-like sections (5, 6) formed by the net, wherein the longitudinal thermal connection lines between the net and the film run along fold edges formed by the accordion-like sections with respect to the film. 2. Bag according to claim 1, characterized in that the net and the film are welded along transverse thermal bonding lines (9, 10, 11), the lower thermal bonding line (9) closing the bag to form the bottom, while the upper thermal bonding lines (10, 11) are provided for closing the opening for introducing the products into the bag and form a band (12) in which at least one opening (13) is formed, the band and the at least one opening forming the handle of the bag. 3. Bag according to claim 1, with a film of plastics which also partially contacts the sides of the net at a central band (15).