GB2376937A

GB2376937A - Folded structure for forming a bag

Info

Publication number: GB2376937A
Application number: GB0114536A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Tien Tjiu Tan
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-06-14
Filing date: 2001-06-14
Publication date: 2002-12-31
Also published as: GB0114536D0

Abstract

A generally flat structure 1 for forming a bag comprises a single sheet of material, preferably plastics, which has been folded back on itself on each side of an axis A. Each of four corners has overlapping parts 5 and 7 which are sealed together. The remaining parts 2 on each side of the axis have been folded back over the overlapping parts to provide lifting portions. The flat structures can be stacked, and handles 4 die-cut from the whole stack. A hot pin is stabbed through the stack to produce a weld, tacking them together. If an article is placed on the remaining parts, and the lifting portions lifted, the structure opens out around the article in the form of a bag receiving the article.

Description

A STRUCTURE FOR FORMING A BAG The present invention relates to a structure for forming a bag.

The present invention may be used to provide a bag to be loaded with a square-sided or rectangular-sided object, in a very easy and fast application, being made from a film of plastics material with sufficient strength for carrying and containing for example food boxes or carton boxes for shopping purposes. However, the present invention may also be used with objects which are not square-sided or rectangular-sided, for example objects having a round or other geometrical shape.

Packaging a square-sided or rectangular-sided object with common shopping bags often requires considerable time and manual effort, leaving customers to wait for their already purchased goods to be neatly packed.

According to the present invention, there is provided a generally flat structure for forming a bag, comprising a single sheet of material which has been folded back on itself on each side of an axis, at each of four comers has overlapping parts of the sheet sealed together, the remaining parts on each side of said axis having been folded back over the overlapping parts for providing lifting portions, the structure being such that, if an article is placed on to said remaining parts, and the lifting portions lifted, the structure opens out around the article in the form of a bag receiving the article.

Preferably, said material comprises a plastics material, for example polyethylene.

Said overlapping parts are preferably sealed along directions which are at acute angles to said axis.

Each of said lifting portions preferably has a cut-out in it for providing a handle portion.

Preferably, said lifting portions may extend beyond said overlapping parts.

Said lifting portions may be spaced from each other on opposite sides of said axis.

The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :- Figs. la) and lb) show a bag structure m its folded form but slightly opened out for clarification ; Fig. 1 c) is a cross-sectional drawing of the bag structure in its folded form ; Fig. 2a) shows a stack of bag structures, ready to he used; Fig. 2b) shows placement of a square-sided object to be packaged on to the top bag structure of the stack; and Fig. 2c) shows an unfolded bag with the object inside, ready to be lifted and carried.

The following example is a plastics-based bag structure that is folded in a very particular way to provide ease as regards its utilization. Having a square shape for its bottom side after unfolding, this bag is designed for packaging and carrying a squaresided object with a relatively light load. Some examples of such objects are food boxes and boxes containing glasses or other crockery.

Referring to Figs. la), lb) and Ic), a bag structure I in its generally flat, folded form comprises a single sheet of polyethylene material which has been subjected to a cutting, sealing and folding process to form: on respective sides of an axis A, a pair of opposite wing-like lifting portions 2, each providing a respective handle portion 3 in which there is a respective die cut 4, a bottom portion 5 of the sheet having been sealed by seals 6 to portions 7 of the folded sheet overlapping portion 5 and underneath respective ones of portions 2 in the folded state of the bag structure, the seal lines being at acute angles to the axis A.

Production of the bag structure is achieved by extruding polyethylene material into a film and winding it on to a roll ; so that the outermost surface of each bag structure is printable (for receiving details of a product or a company's identity for example), corona treatment is effected during extrusion for the sake of proper ink adhesion; the extruded roll is then converted by a cutting, sealing, and folding process to yield a bag structure as in Fig. 1 a), but with a square form.

The cutting, sealing and folding process comprises taking a single sheet of the polyethylene material, folding it back on itself on each side of axis A, at each of four comers sealing, by seals 6, overlapping parts of the sheet together at acute angles to the axis A, folding back the remaining parts on each side of the axis over the overlapping parts for providing the lifting portions 2 (these extending beyond the overlapping parts and being spaced from each other on opposite sides of the axis A). Thereafter, such bag structures are stacked and cut by die-cutting, at their comers alongside the seals 6 and in portions 2, to form the angled edges of the overlapping portions and lifting portions and holes 4 to provide handle portions 3. Then the stack is stabbed through with a hot pin to crimp together the bag structures in the stack.

Fig. 2a) shows a stack of such folded bag structures 1, each of which is dimensioned in accordance with the dimensions of articles to be loaded into them. To load a first article, e. g. a square-sided article such as a box (for example a food box or one

I CY containing glasses or other crockery) it is merely placed on the stack as shown in Fig. 2b) and then the two lifting portions 2 lifted up via handle portions 3, whereupon portions 2 and the ends of portions 5 form the sides, the rest of portion 5 forming the bottom, of a bag receiving the article-as shown in Fig. 2c).

Claims

CLAIMS t. A generally flat structure for forming a bag, comprising a single sheet of material which has been folded back on itself on each side of an axis, at each of four comers has overlapping parts of the sheet sealed together, the remaining parts on each side of said axis having been folded back over the overlapping parts for providing lifting portions, the structure being such that, if an article is placed on to said remaining parts, and the lifting portions lifted, the structure opens out around the article in the form of a bag receiving the article.
2. A structure according to claim 1, wherein said material comprises a plastics material.

-ts are
3.. A structure according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said overlapping parts are sealed along directions which are at acute angles to said axis.
4. A structure according to any preceding claim, wherein each of said lifting portions has a cut-out in it for providing a handle portions.
5. A structure according to any preceding claim, wherein said lifting portions extend beyond said overlapping parts.
6. A structure according to any preceding claim, wherein said lifting portions are spaced from each other on opposite sides of said axis.
7. A structure for forming a bag, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.