IES991086A2 - Improved bags - Google Patents

Abstract

A bag (10) is manufactured from a tube (12). One end (14) of the tube (12) is folded and sealed to form the base of the completed bag (10). The folding operation is conducted in a number of stages, with an adhesive label (20) or patch being applied to the end (14) of the bag (10) after the ends are first formed. The final folding operation comprises folding the ends of the bag (10) and label (20) over one another to form the final seal.

Description

The present invention relates to bags, in particular improvements to sealing bags for powder material such as flour.

Bags of flour when stocked on supermarket shelves tend to lose some contents as flour sifts out through the bottom of the bags. Therefore such supermarket shelves need to be cleaned regularly.

The present invention provides a bag which is manufactured from paper formed into a tube, one end of the tube being folded and sealed to form the base of the completed bag, the folding operation being conducted in a number of stages, with an adhesive label or patch being applied to the end of the bag after the ends are first formed, with the final folding operation comprising folding the ends of the bag and label over one another to form the final seal.

In this way, the end of the bag is totally sealed and no powder contents can sift out through the end of the bag.

The final seal may be achieved by the use of adhesive or heat sealing.

Preferably, the adhesive is applied on the upper surface of the label prior to folding the ends of the bag.

Conveniently, the adhesive label may be supplied with adhesive only applied to a portion of the surface, with a non adhesive strip being provided, whereby the strip is applied over the edges of the paper where they come together to form the end. In this way no adhesive extends through any gap to contact the inner portion of the bag.

In one embodiment, the adhesive label has a narrowed or reduced width end portion and an extended or wide body portion. The wide body both increases the strength and improves the overall safety of the seal because of the increased surface area of the applied label, in IE991086 -2contact with the end of the bag. The reduced width of the end portion of the label maintains the entire surface area of the label within the boundary of the end of the bag. As the lower surface of the label is covered in adhesive the reduced width end removes the risk of the underside of the label becoming adhered to the bag during both the label fixing and the adhesive application process.

The invention will hereinafter be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example only, one embodiment of a paper bag according to the invention.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bag with the end formed after the first stage of folding and an adhesive label being applied; Figure 2 is a view of the completed end of the bag from the inside of the bag; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the end of the bag; Figures 4a to 4d show the successive steps in completing the final folding stages to form and seal the end of the bag; Figures 5a to 5d show a side view of the successive steps in completing the final folding stage corresponding to the respective views shown in Figures 4a to 4d; Figure 6 is a plan view of the bag prior to the final folding stage; Figure 7 is a plan view of one embodiment of adhesive label having one surface completely coated with adhesive; Figure 8 is a plan view of a second embodiment of an adhesive label in which a centre strip is provided without any adhesive coating; IE991086 -3Figure 9 is apian view of a third embodiment of adhesive label in which a reduced width end portion is shown; and Figure 10 is apian view of the adhesive label of Figure 9 applied to the end of the bag.

Referring to the drawings, the bag 10 is formed into a tube 12 and the end 14 is formed to close the end of the bag. An adhesive label 20 is applied over the end 14 which is then folded over (see Figures 4a to 4d) to form a sealed bottom 16 for the bag 10.

Referring to Figures 5a to 5d, the adhesive label 20 is laid on the end of the bag 14 from a roll 30 of labels by a roller 31. Adhesive is applied to the upper surface of the label 20 by an applicator 32. After the application of adhesive, flap 13 is first folded back onto the adhesive label 20 and finally the flap 15 is folded over onto the flap 13 to form the frilly sealed bottom 16.

Referring now to Figures 6 to 8, when the label 20 is laid down onto the end 14, it covers two edges 19. If the two edges do not fully meet, a slight gap (not shown) may be present. To avoid the adhesive label 20 sticking to material behind the gap, use can be made of a modified label 40 which has two areas of adhesive 41 separated by a strip 42 of plain paper which carries no adhesive. When the label 40 is applied, the strip 42 lies over the edges 19.

Referring now to Figures 9 and 10 there is shown a third embodiment of a bag in accordance with the invention. A label 50 is shown with a reduced width end portion 51 and an enlarged main label portion 52.

In use, when the label 50 is rolled from the roller 31 onto the bag 10 the width of the end 51 is such that no part of the label 50 extends beyond the flap 13. It will be understood that a strip 42 of plain paper may also be incorporated into this embodiment of adhesive label.

IE991086 -4The increased width allows a larger portion of the end of the bag 14 to be covered and both increases the strength and overall safety of the seal because of the increased surface area of the applied label. At the same time the reduced width of the end portion of the label maintains the entire surface area of the label within the boundary of the end of the bag thereby facilitating application. The reduced width end portion of the label removes the risk of the underside of the label becoming adhered to the bag during both the label fixing and the adhesive application process.

In other modifications to the invention the labels 20, 40 and 50 can be pre-coated with 10 adhesive on both sides.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specification details described above which are given by way of example only and that various modifications and alternations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (5)

1. A bag (10) in the form of a tube (12), with the tube (12) having one end (14) folded and sealed to form the base of the completed bag (10), characterised in that an adhesive label (20) or patch is applied to the end of the bag (10) after the ends are first formed, with the final folding operation comprising folding the ends of the bag (10) and label (20) over one another to form the final seal.

2. A bag (10) as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that: the final seal is provided hy adhesive; alternatively in which the final seal is provided by heat sealing; optionally in which the adhesive is applied on an upper surface of the label (20) prior to folding the ends of the bag (10) and label (20) over one another to form the final seal; optionally in which the adhesive label (40) may be supplied with adhesive only applied to a portion of the surface, with a non adhesive strip (42) being provided, whereby the strip (42) is applied over edges (19) of the tube (12) where the edges (19) come together to form the end (14) to prevent adhesive extending through any gap to contact the inner portion of the bag (10) or products contained therein; optionally in which the adhesive label (50) has a narrowed or reduced width end portion (51) and an extended or wide body portion (52) thereby increasing the strength and improving the overall safety of the seal due to the increased surface area of the applied label (50); optionally in which the labels (20), (40) and (50) are pre-coated with adhesive on both sides; and IE991086 optionally in which a unique indicator is provided on each label (20), (40) and (50).

3. A method of manufacturing a bag (10) comprising the steps of: forming a sheet of material into a tube (12); folding one end (14) of the tube (12) to close the end of the bag (10); applying an adhesive label (20) on the end of the bag (14) from a roll (30) of labels by a roller (31); applying adhesive to the upper surface of the label (20) by an applicator (32); folding a flap (13) back onto the adhesive label (20); folding a flap (15) over onto the flap (13) to seal the bottom (16); optionally in which the label (40) comprises two areas of adhesive (41) separated by a strip (42) having no adhesive (41) and lies on edges (19) of the end (14) of the bag (10) to be sealed; optionally in which the label (50) comprises a reduced width end portion (51) and an enlarged main label portion (52), whereby in use the label (50) is rolled from roller (31) onto the bag (10) wherein the width of the end portion (51) is such that no part of the label (50) extends beyond the flap (13); optionally in which the label (50) comprises two areas of adhesive (41) separated by a strip (42) having no adhesive (41) and lies on edges (19) of the end (14) of the bag (10) to be sealed; and IE991086 optionally in which the labels (20), (40) and (50) can be pre-coated with adhesive onhothsid.es.

4. A bag (10) with an adhesive label (20), (40) and (50) or patch applied to its end 5. Substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in accompanying drawings.

5. A method of manufacturing a bag substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.