GB2160171A - A packaging bag - Google Patents

Abstract

A bag comprises front (11) and rear sides connected to one another along both side edges (14, 15) and along the bottom edge (16), closure means (18, 22) for closing the upper edges of said sides, and a line of weakness (30) in at least one of said sides to define a bottom marginal portion of the bag which enables the bag to be opened. The bag can be used to package a folded article which in its unfolded state has larger dimensions than the bag so that upon opening the bottom of the bag the unfolded article may extend beyond the bag for display. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A packaging bag The present invention relates to a packaging bag, in particular but not exclusively to a packaging bag made of a plastics film such as polyethylene or polypropylene.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a bag having front and rear sides connected to one another along both side edges and along the bottom edge, closure means for closing the upper edges of said sides, at least one of said sides having a line of weakness to define a bottom marginal portion of the bag which enables the bag to be opened. Preferably, both sides have a line of weakness so as to enable the bottom strip to be removed from the remainder of the bag.

Various aspects of the present invention are hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of an empty packaging bag according to the present invention; Figure2 is a similarviewto Figure 1 showing part ofthe bag; Figure 3 is a perspective view of a bag according to the present invention shown in use.

The bag 10 shown in Figures 1 and 2 comprises front and back sides 11, 12 respectively which are formed from a plastics film such as polyethylene or polypropylene. The sides 11,12 are connected along sides edges by welded seams 14, 15 and are connected along the bottom edge by a fold line 16.

As an alternative to the fold line 16 the bottom edge may be defined by a welded seam.

The upper edge of the rear side 12 supports a flange extension 18 having a fold line 19. The flap 18 overlies the upper region of the front side 11 to cover its upper edge 20 and so forms a closure for the bag.

Preferably, the flap is secured to the front side 11 by means of a strip of glue 22 which may be of a permanently tacky type to enable the flap to be lifted and then resealed or of the permanently bonded type which results in destruction of the plastics film when the flap is lifted.

The bag is provided with a line of weakness 30 in both the front and rear sides near to the bottom of the bag so as to provide a bottom strip 3 which is easily removable from the remainder of the bag in order to open the bottom of the bag. Preferably, the lines of weakness 30 are in the form of perforations.

It is envisaged that a line of weakness may be provided in one side only so as to enable the bottom portion to be opened.

The provision of an openable bottom enables the bag to be conveniently used for two purposes, namely the package and transport of foldable articles, in particular clothing, in a bag of smaller dimensions than the article and also provide a bag which enables the article to be displayed in its unfolded form. This is illustrated in Figure 3. In Figure 3 an article of clothing is schematically illustrated at 40 and is connected to a hanger 41. The fold line of the flap is conveniently provided with a slit 45 to enable the hook 46 of the hanger to pass through. Accordingly, when packing the article 40 it is folded and placed within a bag 10. If the bag has a fold line 16 the article is fed into the bag through its upper opening. In this condition, the bag completely surrounds the article and may be transported and also hung on hangers in say a shop.In order to display the article in its unfolded form, the bottom is opened by removing strip 32 (initial removal being illustrated in Figure 2) and the article is unfolded to extend downwardly from the opened bag. The upper region of the article is retained within the remainder of the bag and is protected thereby.

An additional advantage of the present invention is that if the glue strip used is of the permanent bond type then the package becomes tamper evident since any attempt to open the bag results in tearing of the film (either at the flap or the bottom) and so clearly indicates an attempt to open the bag.

1. A bag having front rear sides connected to one another along both side edges and along the bottom edge, closure means for closing the upper edges of said sides, at least one of said sides having a line of weakness to define a bottom marginal portion of the bag which enables the bag to be opened.

2. A bag according to claim 2 wherein both the front and rear sides are provided with a line of weakness to enable the bottom marginal portion to be removed from the remainder of the bag to open the bottom of the bag.

3. A bag according to claim 1 or 2 wherein each line of weakness is defined by a row of perforations.

4. A bag according to any preceding claim wherein the closure means comprises a flap extending from one of said sides, the flap being secured so as to overlie the other side.

5. A bag according to claim 4 wherein the flap is secured by welding and/or adhesive.

6. A bag according to claim 5 wherein the adhesive provides either a permanent bond or a resealable bond.

7. A bag according to any preceding claim wherein the bag is provided with an opening to enable a hanger to pass therethrough.

8. A bag substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

9. A method of packaging and displaying a foldable article comprising packing the article in a folded condition in a bag according to any preceding claim which is of smaller dimensions that the unfolded article, subsequently opening the bottom of the bag and unfolding the article so as to extend from the opened bag to permit the unfolded article to be displayed.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (9)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION A packaging bag The present invention relates to a packaging bag, in particular but not exclusively to a packaging bag made of a plastics film such as polyethylene or polypropylene. According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a bag having front and rear sides connected to one another along both side edges and along the bottom edge, closure means for closing the upper edges of said sides, at least one of said sides having a line of weakness to define a bottom marginal portion of the bag which enables the bag to be opened. Preferably, both sides have a line of weakness so as to enable the bottom strip to be removed from the remainder of the bag. Various aspects of the present invention are hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of an empty packaging bag according to the present invention; Figure2 is a similarviewto Figure 1 showing part ofthe bag; Figure 3 is a perspective view of a bag according to the present invention shown in use. The bag 10 shown in Figures 1 and 2 comprises front and back sides 11, 12 respectively which are formed from a plastics film such as polyethylene or polypropylene. The sides 11,12 are connected along sides edges by welded seams 14, 15 and are connected along the bottom edge by a fold line 16. As an alternative to the fold line 16 the bottom edge may be defined by a welded seam. The upper edge of the rear side 12 supports a flange extension 18 having a fold line 19. The flap 18 overlies the upper region of the front side 11 to cover its upper edge 20 and so forms a closure for the bag. Preferably, the flap is secured to the front side 11 by means of a strip of glue 22 which may be of a permanently tacky type to enable the flap to be lifted and then resealed or of the permanently bonded type which results in destruction of the plastics film when the flap is lifted. The bag is provided with a line of weakness 30 in both the front and rear sides near to the bottom of the bag so as to provide a bottom strip 3 which is easily removable from the remainder of the bag in order to open the bottom of the bag. Preferably, the lines of weakness 30 are in the form of perforations. It is envisaged that a line of weakness may be provided in one side only so as to enable the bottom portion to be opened. The provision of an openable bottom enables the bag to be conveniently used for two purposes, namely the package and transport of foldable articles, in particular clothing, in a bag of smaller dimensions than the article and also provide a bag which enables the article to be displayed in its unfolded form. This is illustrated in Figure 3. In Figure 3 an article of clothing is schematically illustrated at 40 and is connected to a hanger 41. The fold line of the flap is conveniently provided with a slit 45 to enable the hook 46 of the hanger to pass through. Accordingly, when packing the article 40 it is folded and placed within a bag 10. If the bag has a fold line 16 the article is fed into the bag through its upper opening. In this condition, the bag completely surrounds the article and may be transported and also hung on hangers in say a shop.In order to display the article in its unfolded form, the bottom is opened by removing strip 32 (initial removal being illustrated in Figure 2) and the article is unfolded to extend downwardly from the opened bag. The upper region of the article is retained within the remainder of the bag and is protected thereby. An additional advantage of the present invention is that if the glue strip used is of the permanent bond type then the package becomes tamper evident since any attempt to open the bag results in tearing of the film (either at the flap or the bottom) and so clearly indicates an attempt to open the bag. CLAIMS

1. A bag having front rear sides connected to one another along both side edges and along the bottom edge, closure means for closing the upper edges of said sides, at least one of said sides having a line of weakness to define a bottom marginal portion of the bag which enables the bag to be opened.

2. A bag according to claim 2 wherein both the front and rear sides are provided with a line of weakness to enable the bottom marginal portion to be removed from the remainder of the bag to open the bottom of the bag.

3. A bag according to claim 1 or 2 wherein each line of weakness is defined by a row of perforations.

4. A bag according to any preceding claim wherein the closure means comprises a flap extending from one of said sides, the flap being secured so as to overlie the other side.

5. A bag according to claim 4 wherein the flap is secured by welding and/or adhesive.

6. A bag according to claim 5 wherein the adhesive provides either a permanent bond or a resealable bond.

7. A bag according to any preceding claim wherein the bag is provided with an opening to enable a hanger to pass therethrough.

8. A bag substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

9. A method of packaging and displaying a foldable article comprising packing the article in a folded condition in a bag according to any preceding claim which is of smaller dimensions that the unfolded article, subsequently opening the bottom of the bag and unfolding the article so as to extend from the opened bag to permit the unfolded article to be displayed.