2355974 CONTENTS SECURABLE PLASTIC FILM CARRIER BAG This invention relates
to plastic film carrier bags such as are used at the check out points of supermakets for the post-purchase packing of purchases so that they may be carried away by hand BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION There are many designs of plastic film carrier bags, all have the same basic configuration which consists of a plastic film sack provided with either attached ribbon handles or moulded handles or integrally formed die-cut handles. Such carrier bags are of different film strengths, are usually printed on the outside surface of the carrier bag with the provider's company logo and other indicia. Some plastic carrier bags may have plastic injection moulded handles that are welded to the top.edge of the carrier bag containing envelope, said plastic handles incorporating a snap-on locking facility that can secure one handle to the other thus effectively ensuring the closure of the bag, but such closure systems are not effective when the bag contents happen to be bulky and heavy. Plastic carrier bags are not as stable when put to eest on a flat surface as "brown" paper bags are, also plastic carrier bags are not as popular in the USA as "brown" paper bags are, this mainly because plastic carrier bags lack rigidity and tend to tip over and spill during transportation when placed in the boot of a car. Conventional carrier bags sometime have handles that are inadequate for the load they are expected to carry and may break causing the bag to droop or fall with the consequential spillage of some or all of the contents, plastic carrier bags made of recycled plastic are especially prone to tearing due to lower tensile strength Conventional carrier bags also are not secure enough to deter opportunistic sighting and opportunistic theft of some of its contents OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION The main object of the invention is to provide a carrier bag that incorporates features that allow complete contents wrap- over that offers cover, closure and security by the upper portion of the carrier bag over the contents of the carrier bag and that said carrier bag can be manufactured by high speed fully automated plastic film converting machines A second object of the invention is to provide a carrier bag that is suitable for the "bag and deliver" service offered by some supermarkets and other trade outlets whereby goods can be packed and secured within the carrier bag and where the relevant invoice cum-delivery instructions can be inserted to the outside of the secured contents carrying component of the carrier bag in a manner that such documentation is easily visible, is sufficently secure and is easily accessed for withdrawal, Such a bag configuration can also be of use to civil aid agencies that need to parcel out, identify contents, identify beneficiaries and distribute aid in situations of need BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention is illustrated in the accompanying six drawings sheets that incorporate figures No.1 to No. 12. Figure No. 1 is the side view of a flattened pristine carrier bag further showing by way of five descriptive cut-outs the configuration of the underlying inner lining that incorporates both lateral staggered slits with sealed edges and printed areas printed with inclicia. Figure No. 2 illustrates the cross section of the carrier bag illustrated in Fig. No. 1, said cross section viewed about the plane A-A being typical for the upper part of the carrier bag from below the handles to about mid length/depth of the carrier bag sac proper. Figure No. 3 illustrates the vertical cross section of the carrier bag illustrates in Fig. No. 1, said cross section viewed about planes B-B Figure No. 4 illustrates the perspective view of a filled carrier bag of which the inner lining upper portion has been wrapped over the contents of the carrier bag and then secured in place with a bow knot by the tyeing of the two inner lining pseudo handles to one another. Figure No. 5 illustrates the top perspective view of a filled carrier bag of which the inner lining upper portion has been wrapped over the carrier bag contents and then secured in place by way of a ring and plug device that is self locking being fitted over the inner lining pseudo handles. Figure No. 6 illustrates the vertical partial cross sectional view of the ring and plug components that make up the self locking device further showing the pseudo handles extending from the upper portion of the bag inner lining, these handles are passed through the ring and held firm against the ring by the wedging plug, as shown in Fig. No. 5. Figure No. 7 illustrates the plastic film ribbon that has firstly been processed and printed on one side as a "lay flat", then is double folded -2- and has patterns of staggered cuts with sealed edges formed at set pitches joining the two film thicknesses along the sealed edges, said film ribbon then has to be interleaved inside a double folded transparent plastic film ribbon prior to the carrier bag sides being cut, sealed and parted by way of hot-knife welding and cutting process. Figure No. 8 illustrates the carrier bag as shown in Figure No. 1 in which the pseudo handles, these handles not specifically being for load carrying being extensions of the inner lining, have been displaced laterally inward showing the parting of the upper portion of the sides of the carrier bag inner lining sac configuration from the upper portion of the corresponding sides of the carrier bag outer film that forms the outer sac configuration. Figure No. 9 illustrates the ring component of the self locking device as shown in figures No.'s 5 and 6.
Figure No. 10 illustrates the plug component of the self locking device as shown in figures No.'s 5 and 6, further showing the ring component shown in Fig. No. 9 fitted over the finger-pull ring of the plug component this being the stowage mode for both components. Figure No.1 1 illustrates in a more or less full scale representation a strengthened configuration of the staggered line-cuts formed on the double folded carrier bag inner lining plastic film ribbon, each of these sets of staggered line-cuts that are sited straddling the intended parting lines forming the sides of the sac configuration have an additional U configured weld line to join the two lining film thicknesses in addition to the staggered line-cuts.. Figure No.12 illustrates in a more or less full scale representation the optimum configuration of the staggered line-cuts also as shown in the previous illustrations bar Figures. No's 5,6,9,10 and 11 whereby the staggered line-cuts are formed by a hot-knife and therefore resulting with the edges of the said generated cuts through the two layers being sealed and welded to one another. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODYMENT The invention hereafter described as the carrier bag basically consists of a front and back panel each consisting of an outer thicker transparent plastic film (1) and an inner thinner transparent or opaque plastic film (2), the inner transparent film (2) bearing printed indicia such as a company logo (3) and, most importantly, the pitch set marks (4) of which spacings equal the pitch width of the carrier bag and thus allows - 3 - the pitch determination of the sequence in the forming of the staggered sealed edged line cuts (5), as shown in Figures. No. 7, 10 and 11, following which in the final carrier bag blank-making process the same pitch set marks (4) can be seen through the transparent outer layer (1) and thus allow the accurate positioning for the simultaneous heat sealing and cutting across about imaginary lines (D-D) of the outer and interleaved inner ribbons(l)(2) composite to form the heat sealed side edges of each blank carrier bag. The object of the staggered sealed edged line cuts (5), these being by way of example 20mm long and 1 mm apart from contiguous cuts ends, is to provide an easily parted network of interconnecting narrow film joins(9), these being required to maintain the positional integrity during the manufacturing process of the ribbon (2) material between to adjacent rows of line cuts (5). Once t he carrier bag blank making process is completed then the upper portion of the carrier bag blank is die cut along imaginary lines (C-C) to form handles (6)(6A) following which the middle cut-out (7) and two lateral cut-outs (8) once cut are discarded for recycling each said die cut operation usually being performed on a stack of carrier bag blanks, by way of example 50 or 100 units, so as to speed up the manufacturing process. It is important that for the process of making the carrier bag the double folded outer transparent film ribbon (1) into which folds is interleaved the fully processed inner double folded film ribbon or ( lay flat tube) (2) is transparent enough to enable the optical sensors on the film- converting machine to "read" the printed pitch set marks (4). The film thickness of the interleaved double folded film ribbon (2) need only be such that it will allow handling and the process of printing to be satisfactorily effected as the film thickness has no direct relevance to the load carrying capacity of the finished carrier bag, On the other hand, the film thickness of the outer double folded transparent film ribbon (1) is relevant to the load carrying capability of the carrier bag and it will be found by necessity to require in commensuration with the required carrier bag load carrying capacity, to be of a greater thickness than the thickness of the inner interleaved double folded film (or lay flat tube) ribbon (2), The invention is carried into effect by way of example, at any check out counter whereby the carrier bag side panels are prised apart to generate the carrying cavity, said cavity being contained within the two opposing sets of inner lining film layers generated in the manufacturing process by the double folded film ribbon (2) Jollowing which the handles (6)and (6A) - 4 are set aside whereupon the purchased items can be placed within the loading cavity. Once the carrier bag is filled then both sets of pseudo handles (6A) are separated from their respective load carrying handles (6) and then are pulled away from each other, said action causing the parting of the inner lining sac configuration from the inner lining thin strips that are integrally welded with and to the outer sack lateral sealed edges along lines (D-D) by the sequential breaking of the narrow plastic film joins (9); at this point if the person is dextrous then the person can tie a bow knot with the pseudo handles (6A) as shown in Fig. NoA, but.
if the person is not dextrous enough as, by way of example arthritic sufferers, then a mechanical aid can be supplied with the carrier bag in the form of ring (10) and plug (11) combination whereby all the person has to do is to insert into and pass through the ring (10) the pseudo handles (6A) and then pull the formed loops of said pseudo handles (6A) apart away from one another as far as is practicable at which time the plug (11) can be inserted into the hole in ring (10) so as to wedge the opposing portions of the pseudo handles (6A) held within the ring tightly between the inner surface of the ring 10) and the outer circumpherentially grooved surface of the plug (11). Both the ring (10) and the plug (11) are circular and of complementary configuration. The bore or ring (10) tapers towards both ends of the ring(10) outward from the sleeve mid length so that the effective bore diameter increases gradually at more or less an inclusive angle of 20 degrees and further the rim at both ends of the bore is smooth and radiused, further by way of example the bore major diameter being 25 mm and the length of the sleeve being 16mm whilst the plug (11) forward core portion is circular in cross section, its blind bore is straigth and its top end is girdled by a shallow flange of which purpose is to limit the penetration of the core of plug (11) within the bore of the ring (10), the effective diameter of the plug reduces in diameter so that the diameter is greater close to the flange and smaller close to the end, by way of example the major outside diameter close to the flange being 26mm, the plug length being 16mm and the plug tapered body included angle being 10 degrees. Ideally the ring (10) is made of a low friction plastic whilst the plug (111) is made of a hi-gh friction rubber rich higher friction material. By virtue of the ring and plug configuration the greater the weight of the carrier bag contents the greater is the pull to withdraw the pseudo handles (6A) backwards from the ring however any withdrawing movement of the pseudo handles (6) - 5 - I will draw the core sleeve even deeper and tighter into the ring (10) hole and thus maintain the closure of the carrier bag, To release the closure the person only has to pull the loops of thetwo pseudo handles (6A) outward away from one another and this will cause the plug (11) to slightly raise from within the ring (10) hole and thus be released from its grip whereupon the person can now easily remove the plug by the simple lifting of the plug (11) by its pull ring out of the ring (10) and by the subsequent lifting and removal of the ring (10) off the pseudo handles (6A) at which time the carrier bag is ready for removal of its contents The closure aid consisting of ring (10) and plug (11) is so effective that even if the carrier bag is held aloft upside down the closure of the carrier bag will remain unaffected and the full content of the carrier bag remains secure within the carrier bag, this no doubt aided by the fact that the lower half of the carrier bag outer film and the inner lining film are heat sealed to one another along the bottom edge and halfway up both sides of the carrier bag, As the closure device is an optional item in the application of the carrier bag and the closure device comprises of two separate components it is essential that these be available to the user as a set and therefore the plug(l 1) is so configured that plug pull ring(12) external configuration complements the ring (10) internal axial cross sectional configuration to such an extent that the plug (11) pull ring(12) will flex and give a little to allow the ring(10) to be fitted over the pull ring (12) as shown in Fig. No.10, the plug and ring remaining as an assemblage until required to be separated as aand when required In order for the carrier bag inner lining to be made suitable for the carrying of liquids it is necessary to incorporate an additional continuous weld on the inward side along both sides of the staggered linear cuts (5) as shown in Figure No. 11 whereby the continuous weld (13) is of a "U"shaped configuration and whereby said such weld (13) fully joins the two thicknesses of the lining film ribbon (2) to one another but does not generate any cuts or structural weaknesses in both thicknesses of the the lining film ribbon (2). As shown in Figures No's 1,8,11 and 12 lines "DD" denote the lines about which the bag forming process implements lateral simultaneous "weld and cut" process by way of a "Hot Knife" device, said line "D-D" optimally being placed equidistantly between adjacent lines of staggered sealed cut lines (5). Also as shown In Figures No.'s 1,8,11 and 12 lines - 6 - "C-C" denote the lines about which the bag forming process requires the cutting by way of the cold-knife die cutting process of fully welded blank carrier bags so as to remove the panels (7) and (8) to generate both the carrying handles (6) and pseudo handles (6A) configuration, this being the last stage in the manufacturing process of the carrier bag The carrier bag objectives being as stated, these objectives do not preclude that the carrier bag may be used as a conventional carrier bag whereby both handles (6) and (6A) are used to bear the full load within the carrier bag. However as a nd when the pseudo handles (6A) are secured by way of a knot or a securing device the wall panels of the interleaved film (2) bag lining are placed in tension whereby the bag contents are pressed to one another and prevented from changing position or attitude thus if a filled carrier bag is secured closed whilst on a flat supporting surface the bottom configuration of the filled bag Will conform to the flat surface and more or less retain such flat configuration which imparts a degree of stability to the filled carrier bag as and when and where the filled and secured carrier is subsequently put down as, by way of example, in the boot of a car - CLAI MS 1- A plastic film carrier bag for the containment, secural and carrying of groceries and like goods, being of a " sack-like " configuration, comprises of a front and back panels that are continuous one to the other by way of the handles that extend from the top edges of the front panel and arch over to the top edge of the back panels in the form of continuous joining plastic films, the wide bands that constitute the handles having been die cut from said arch-over continuous plastic films, and that said front and back panels are welded to one another along the bottom and the two side edges, the carrier bag front and back panels inclusive of the handles are constructed of two plastic film layers an outer transparent main load carrying layer and an opaque or transparent inner lining layer that is printed and such printed matter is visible through the outer layer the inner plastic film lining layer and the outer plastic film layer of both front and back panels prior to the die cutting of the handles are joined by continuous welds to one another only along the bottom edge and the two lateral edges but not along the top edge, it being a closed fold edge due to it being the fold line of the inner and outer panels that constitute the carrier bag panels; further, the upper portion below the top edge is then die cut to generate the two handles configuration in which each apparent handle comprises of an outer layer that is the carrying handle and an inner underlying layer identically configured to the outer layer that is a pseudo handle in that it can be separated from the carrying handle, the two pseudo handles being long enough to be pulled together either to be tied to one another by way of a knot or an optional securing device be secured together, the plastic film lining component of the carrier bag sac being detachable from the outer film component of the carrier bag sac along and to more or less half way down the side edges of the carrier bag sac along and just inside of the lateral weld or seal that defines the sides of the carrier bag sac by way of pre-cut linear perforations in the inner plastic film lining thus allowing the carrier bag upper portion of the inner lining to be pulled away from. the outer film component of the carrier bag sac so that the detached portion of the plastic film lining may drape over the carrier bag contents whenever the pseudo handles are themselves pulled together to be secured to one another by way of a knot or an optional securing device. 2- A carrier bag as claimed in Claim 1 whereby the optional securing - 8 - device used to secure the pseudo handles to one another consist of a locking ring and plug assemblage whereby the pseudo handles are threaded through the hole in the locking ring and when so pulled to their utmost outstretched position the plug is fitted into the hole over the portions of the pseudo handles within the locking ring, whereby the plug seating within the locking ring is conical and smooth it is also of slightly greater included angle than the included angle of the conical plug body that seats Within it and of which surface is ridged and its body is of a material that has a high friction coefficent and thus the plug will on being pulled in into the locking ring by the withdrawing pseudo handles, cause the forcible wedging of the pseudo handles between the plug and the locking ring; further, the plug is provided with a finger pull ring that is integrally moulded atop the plug to facilitate the pulling out of the plug off the seating in the locking ring and, further, the finger pull ring is also so configured and proportioned that it will allow the locking ring to be fitted from above over the finger pull ring for stowage thus the locking ring will be held in position abutting the top of the plug body until required for reuse, further to simplify the application of the locking ring a conical seating for the plug is symmetrically provided at each end of (20) the locking ring. 3- A plastic film carrier bag for the containment, secural and carrying of groceries and like goods substantially as described herein with reference to Figures No. 1 to 12 of the accompanying drawings.