GB2250011A

GB2250011A - Bag with reinforced handle

Info

Publication number: GB2250011A
Application number: GB9025357A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ian Mceneny
Original assignee: Decoflex Ltd
Current assignee: Decoflex Ltd
Priority date: 1990-11-21
Filing date: 1990-11-21
Publication date: 1992-05-27
Also published as: GB9025357D0

Abstract

A bag 1 for carrying relatively heavy articles comprises one (or more) sheets of thermo-plastic material having two overlapping sheet parts and includes a carrying handle including a cut out part 11 in each of the two overlapping sheet parts with the cut out parts in register and in which a reinforcing heat seal 11a, which may be continuous is provided around the periphery of the cut out parts to seal the two overlapping sheet parts together and reinforce the handle. Another heat seal 10 may be applied between the handle and the rest of the bag. The bag may be made from a single sheet folded at 2 with its edges heat sealed together at 3, and the end edges of the bag may be provided with a closure flap 14 with an adhesive area 15 covered by a removable barrier coating 16. <IMAGE>

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN BAGS This invention has reference to bags for example te bags capable of receiving coin bags ifl bulk and for use in transporting the coin bags in bulk from one location to another, usually from one bank to another bank. The invention also applies to bags capable of receiving and carrying relatively heavy loads.

In our British Patent Specifications Nos. 1072696 and 1334831 there are described certain bags suitable to contain coins. Bags in accordance with British Patent No 1334831 are made to contain for example i5 worth of lOp pieces; or 5 worth of 5p pieces; or SOp worth of 2p pieces or 50p worth of ip pieces. Such bags have been widely used but when transporting coin from one bank branch to another bank branch it is required to transport coins of a far larger value than is contained in one bag. Accordingly many of such bags have been loaded into a bulk bag usually of hard wearing fabric material or strong plastics material.

In our British Patent Specification Nos 1132419, 1449783, 1523933 and 2132585 and European Patent No 0105581 there are described various bags suitable for containing bank notes. Such bags have included certain kinds of security printing and adhesive to prevent misuse of such bags.

Also British specification No 2193484 describes a bag for transporting articles for example for transporting coins in bulk comprising a front panel and a back panel sealed together by side weld and with a slit opening across the front panel with a membrane underlying the opening and carrying an adhesive for sealing the bag.

Also British specification No 22212476 describes a bag with a front wall and a longer rear wall with lateral side seams with an intermediate transverse seam to define a closed cell the closed cell containing an additional layer of strengthening material.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved bag. It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved bag having a handle which is suitable for use with a bag for carrying relatively heavy articles and which is capable of manufacture in a simple manner.

According to the present invention a bag for carrying relatively heavy articles comprises a sheet or sheets of thermo plastics material having two overlapping sheet parts and including a carrying handle including a cut out part in each of the two overlapping sheet parts with the cut out parts in register and in which a reinforcing heat seal is provided around the periphery of the cut out parts to seal the two overlapping sheet parts together and reinforce the handle.

A bag in accordance with the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Fig 1 is a plan view of a bag partly cut away and Fig 2 is a side view of the bag.

Referring to the drawings a so called "bottom fill" bulk bag 1 is formed from a length of thermoplastics material such polyethylene or polypropylene or of nylon. The length of material is folded close to its longitudinal centre line about a foldline 2 and divided into bag widths by a cutting operation preferably using a hot wire or hot knife or the like.

The length of sheet before cutting is printed with areas 3 of security printing at the opposite sides of the bag up to the line of transverse heat seal to be hereinafter described and at 4 at the outer side of the mouth of the bag and at an area 5 adjacent the fold line 2 of the bag. Also a logo 6 is applied to the bag to specify the name of the bank or user handling or issuing the coins in the bag 1 and an indication 7 of the value of coins in the bag is also applied. Also blocks 8 of colour are printed on the bag, a label 9 is applied to the bag to which a tellers stamp and confirming signature may be applied to confirm the amount of coin in the bulk bag 1 is correct.

The security printing is preferably printed in solvent soluble ink comprised of two or more dyestuffs.

A transverse line of heat seal 10 is applied to the bag between the area 5 and the fold line 2 and as shown a cut out 11 is formed adjacent the foldline 2 and between the foldline 2 and the line of heat seal 10. The cut out 11 is intended to serve to receive the fingers of a person to carry the bag and enable the upper part of the bag to serve as a carrying handle. The cut out is preferably of a substantially rectangular shape with rounded ends.

A reinforcing line of heat seal lla is provided around the periphery of the cut out and spaced at a distance of about 1/4" (one quarter of an inch, approximately 0.5 cm) from the edge of the cut out. The provision of the line of heat seal is formed to reinforce the handle part of the bag and is manufactured simply by the provision of the heat means to seal the two parts of the handle together.

Lines of heat seal are also applied to the margin of the bag just within the areas 3 of security printing at the edges of the bag. Longitudinal lines of heat seal 10a are formed closely adjacent to and within the areas 3 of security printing at the opposite margins of the bag.

The sheet is folded so that the rear face 12 of the bag is deeper than the front face 13 so that flap part 14 is formed in the rear face beyond the front face. The flap is coated with an area of adhesive 15 which is covered by a barier coating 16 to prevent the flap being secured to a surface before the coating is removed. A bag mouth is formed between the outer edges of the faces so that coin bags may readily loaded into the bag.

Micro-holes 17 are formed in the bag to allow for any air trapped in the bag to be allowed to escape.

It is preferred that the transverse lines of heat seal and the longitudinal line 10a of heat seal are applied when the longitudinal sheet is divided into bag lengths. It will be apparent that the transverse line 10 of heat eel prevents any coin bags dropping out of the handle cut out 11 of the bulk bag in use.

The security printing is preferably made up of the name of the bank repeatedly printed in small print across or along the bag as described in patent Specification no 1365240.

A bulk bag as described may have transverse width of about 10.75ins (27 cms) and a depth from the fold line 2 to the outer end of the flap part 14 of about 16.5 ins (41.4cms). The flap has a depth of about 1.5 ins (3.Scms).

The transverse heat seal line 10 is about 2.75ins (7cms) from the fold line 2 and parallel to the foldline.

In use a bag as described is used in a bank to transport bags of coin in bulk. The bag 1 is positioned with its mouth uppermost and coin bags are loaded into the bulk bag probably employing a hopper. When a required number of bags containing the required value of coins is Inserted into the bulk bag, the bulk bag is closed by closing the mouth of the bag and removing the barrier coating 16 from the flap and folding the flap into contact with the security printing area 4 at the outer side of the mouth of the bag to ensure that the bag is closed and so that a warning will be given if the bag is tampered with.

The bag may be opened by cutting transversely across the bag adjacent to the foldline 2.

Although the invention has been described by way of example to the bottom fill bulk bag it may also be applied to bags which are filled at the side of the bag (as described for example in the specification of the European Patent Application filed 21 November 1990). It may also be applied to carrier and other bags which are not top filled.

Claims

1 A bag for carrying relatively heavy articles comprises a sheet or sheets of thermo-plastic material having two overlapping sheet parts and including a carrying handle including a cut out part in each of the two overlapping sheet parts with the cut out parts in register and in which a reinforcing heat seal is provided around the periphery of the cut out parts to seal the two overlapping sheet parts together and reinforce the handle.

2 A bag according to claim 1 wherein the reinforcing heat seal is a continuous heat seal around and spaced outwardly of the cut out parts.

3 A bag according to claim 1 or 2 where a transverse heat seal is applied to the bag between a part to contain the bag contents and the carryuing handle.

4 A bag according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the bag is composed of a single sheet folded close to a centre line and having its side edges closed by a heat seal.

5 A bag according to claim 4 wherein the end edges of the bag includes a flap portion coated with an area of adhesive and covered by a barrier coating.