MXPA06002615A - Multi-handled sealed bag - Google Patents

Abstract

A sealed multi-handled bag (10) is provided that includes a first handle (16) at a first end and a second handle (18) at a second end. In one embodiment, the handles are on substantially opposite ends of the bag (10). The sealed bag (10) may be made from plastic and may contain loose materials (14), such as a salt. In some embodiments, one or more of the handles are formed from heat-sealed layers of bag material having a grip (38) cut therein. A method for filling and sealing the multi-handled sealed bag (10) includes filling a bag (10) having a first closed end through a second open end, and sealing the second open end to form a handle. In one embodiment, sealing the second open end includes heat-sealing opposing layers of bag material together and cutting a handle through the layers. In another embodiment, the method includes folding-over the layers of bag material.

Description

SK, TR), OAPI (BF, BJ, CF, CG, CL CM, GA, GN, GQ, For two-letter codes and other abbreviations, rfrto the "Guid-GW, ML, MR, NE, SN, TD, TG). Anee Notes on Codes and Abbreviations "appearing at the beginning- no regular issue of the PCT Gazette. Published: - with intemational search report SEALED BAG OF MULTIPLE HANDLES FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention is generally concerned with a sealed bag or bag of multiple handles. More particularly, the invention is concerned with a bag for loose sealed materials, such as a bag of salt, having two or more handles and a method for filling and sealing such a bag. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION There are many different types of sealed bags used for various purposes. One type includes sealed bags of moderate to heavy use used to pack loose materials. Conventional bags of this type often have a capacity of about 10 pounds to 100 pounds or more. For example, conventional heavy-duty sealed bags are often used to package chemical compounds such as salt or fertilizers, landscape materials such as gravel or potted soil, pet food and the like. When filled with loose materials, these conventional bags can be difficult to carry without handles due to the flexibility of the bag and the ability of the loose materials to move. For example, when a user secures such a bag together with his body, the loose materials contained in Ref .: 170873 itself can be displaced and by this decrease the grip of the user. Many conventional sealed bags that pack loose materials include a handle at one end to improve the user's ability to hold the bag. For bags of moderate to heavy use, however, a single handle may be less desirable. For example, conventional paper or plastic heavy-duty bags have a single handle formed from the bag material. These handles can be stretched during use with the heaviest loads. In addition, it can be difficult and uncomfortable for a user to carry these heavy bags using a single handle. Thus, there is a need for a bag for loose materials of moderate to heavy use that has improved elements for handling and carrying the bag. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In order to overcome the disadvantages described above and other disadvantages that will become apparent when reading this specification, aspects of the present invention provide a sealed bag of multiple handles. According to one aspect of the invention, the sealed bag of multiple handles may have a first handle on a substantially opposite end of a second handle. According to another aspect, the sealed bag can be made of plastic and contain loose materials such as a salt. One or more of the handles can be formed from thermally sealed layers of bag material having a handle cut thereon in accordance with a further aspect of the invention. Aspects of the present invention further provide a method for filling and sealing a multi-handle sealed bag that includes filling a bag having a closed end through an open end and sealing the open end to form a handle. The open end seal may include thermally sealing opposing layers of bag material together and cutting a handle through the layers. The open end seal may also include sealing opposing layers of bag material together near a pre-cut handle. The method can include folding the layers of bag material to form a handle flap. Other aspects of the invention provide a method for filling and sealing a multi-handled sealed bag that includes sealing a first end to form a fin and a handle on the fin, filling the bag through a second opposite end, sealing the second end. and attach a rigid handle to the second end. Other elements and advantages of various aspects of the invention will become apparent with reference to the following detailed description and figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES The invention will be described in detail in the following description of preferred embodiments with reference to the following Figures in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bag of loose material of two handles according to an embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a top view of the bag of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a bottom view of the bag of the Figure 1; Figure 4 is a side view of the bag of Figure 1; Figure 5 is a perspective view of the bag of loose material of two handles according to another embodiment of the invention; Figure 6 is a side view of the bag of Figure 5; Figure 7 is a perspective view of a bag of loose material of two handles according to a further embodiment of the invention; Figure 8 is a side view of the bag of Figure 7; Figure 9 illustrates a method for filling and sealing a multi-hand bag according to one embodiment of the invention; Figure 10 illustrates a method for filling and sealing a multi-hand bag according to another embodiment of the invention; Figure 11 is a perspective view of a loose bag of two handles according to still another embodiment of the invention; Figure 12 is a side view of the bag of the Figure 11; Figure 13 illustrates a method for filling and sealing a multi-hand bag according to a further embodiment of the invention and Figure 14 is a perspective view of a thermal sealing station according to a packaging embodiment of the invention. . DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The various aspects of the invention can be implemented in various ways. The following description of the figures shows by way of illustration several modalities in which aspects of the invention can be carried out. It will be understood that other embodiments may be used and structural and functional modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Referring now to Figures 1-4, a bag 10 for loose material of two handles according to one embodiment of the invention is shown. As shown, the bag 10 generally includes a body 12, loose material 14 stored inside the body 12, a first handle 16 at a first end, a second handle 18 at a second end generally opposite the first end and a seam tear 20 formed in the body 12. The bag 10 can be manufactured from a variety of materials, such as sheets 22 and 24 of single-ply or multi-ply plastic. For example, the sheets 22, 24 can be single layer polyolefin plastic sheets such as polyethylene or polypropylene. The plastic sheets can have a thickness of approximately 3 to 12 mils. Preferably, the sheets 22, 24 have a thickness of about 5 to 10 mils and even more preferably about 5.5 mils. The plastic sheets in these ranges provide sufficient strength for heavy-duty packaging, such as packages containing approximately 10 to 100 pounds of loose materials; although plastic sheets at other intervals may be appropriate. Other sheet materials may include woven and non-woven fabric, paper materials, sheets formed from plastic and / or glass fibers, etc. Combinations of sheet materials are also appropriate, such as sheets of paper lined with plastic. The body 12 is preferably formed from a tube of plastic material formed from sheets 22 and 24 joined along their side sides, which are sealed at opposite ends. They can also be formed via other methods, such as by joining opposite plastic sheets 22 and 24 on four sides. The bag 10 is preferably made of plastic, which allows the storage of moisture sensitive materials. For example, it may be desirable to pack salt, fertilizer, cement, granular chemical compounds, pet food, gardening materials such as straw and manure and similar loose moisture-sensitive materials in the sealed plastic bag. 10. The term loose materials as used herein, it generally refers to materials that flow freely, such as liquids or granular materials that may be wet or dry. These bags can have a capacity to contain about 10 pounds to 100 pounds of loose materials, and preferably about 25 pounds to 60 pounds. As such, the. Bag 10 can be used for moderate to heavy use applications. Moderately heavy bags filled with loose materials can be difficult to carry without a handle or with just a handle. Because the loose materials 14 stored therein are generally free flowing, when a user holds the bag 10 around his body 12, the bag conforms to the user's grip. Depending on how the free flowing materials 10 flow and how easy the bag 10 conforms to the user's grip, it may be difficult for the user to grip the body 12. In addition, the user's grip may change as the loose materials 14 they continue to flow while the bag 10 is carried, which can degrade its grip. Transportation of the bag 10 using a single mangle or 18 may be desirable in certain circumstances, such as for lightweight applications. However, in many circumstances, such as when carrying heavier bags, the use of a single handle 16 or 18 may be less desirable. For example, the individual handle can be stretched. In addition, the concentration of force using a single handle can be uncomfortable for the user. For example, suppose that a 100-pound bag formed from opposite layers of a 5.5-mil thick plastic has a handle cut through sealed layers of the plastic. As such, the plastic in the region of the handle can be 11 thousandths of an inch thick or 0.011 inches. Assume that the handle is 3 inches long. Without bulging, such a handle transmits more than 3000 pounds / inch2 of pressure to the user's hand. With reasonable bulging, when the bag is transported, the effective thickness of the handle can be about 1/8 inch wide. As such, the handle transmits approximately 267 pounds / inch2 of pressure to the user's hand. The provision of a pair of handles at opposite ends of the bag 10 greatly reduces the pressure applied to the hands of the user. Simply using two handles reduces the pressure applied in half, for example to 133 pounds / inch2 using the previous example. When the bag 10 is transported using handles on opposite ends that are cut out of plastic material, such as handles according to the present embodiment, the pressure can be further reduced. This is due to the increased width of the material in the cut handle that is applied to the user's hands when the bag is substantially horizontal. When the bag is oriented horizontally, the user's hand comes into contact with side portions of the handle as well as the cut portion. Using the previous example, the width of the material of the handle applied to the hands of the user can be approximately% inch while carrying the bag 10 in a substantially horizontal orientation. As such, the pressure applied to each hand when transporting a 100-pound bag is approximately 73 pounds / inch2 - a reduction of 234 pounds / inch2 compared to a bag that has a single handle cut from plastic sheet material. In addition, providing a pair of handles at opposite ends of the bag 10 improves the user's ability to control bags of moderate to heavy use. This is particularly true when materials. loose are packaged that can be displaced or flow when the bag 10 is transported. When placing the handles 16, At opposite ends, the user has two contact points with the bag 10, which provides a greater degree of control over the bag 10 as compared to a single handle. This can be particularly advantageous for salt bags, such as bags containing water conditioner salt, de-icing salt and agricultural salt. For these bags, the user may need to maintain an increased control of the bag 10 as the salt is poured from the bag. For example, the user of the bag 10 containing melt salt will be able to better control the rate of pouring and spreading of the thaw salt on a road or platform using the pair of handles 16 and 18 arranged at opposite ends. By controlling the opposite ends of the bag 10, the user can more easily control the orientation of the bag 10 than by this the salt flow velocity thereof. In another example, a bag of salt having handles at opposite ends provides users with more flexibility to supply the salt. For example, a first tall user can lift the bag 10 using the handle 10 opposite the tear seam 20 to empty the contents (eg, water-softening salt) into a desired container (e.g., water unit / softener) of the bottom of the bag 10. A second lower user can lift the bag 10 using the handle 18 near the tear seam 20 to pour the contents into a desired container from the top of the bag 10. In other variations, a plurality of handles can be placed at different positions along the outside of the bag, which can provide the user with a variety of choices for transporting and handling the bag 10. For example, the placement of a handle along each of the four edges of the bag 10 could allow the user to choose which pair of handles to use. In addition, the use of two handles reduces the tension in the hands of the user compared to a single handle. The handles 16 and 18 can be formed by sealing opposite sheets 22 and 24, such that a length of material extends beyond the seals 26 and 18 to form fins 30 and 32. The width of the fins 30 and 32 can be about 2 to 4 inches wide and preferably about 2.5 to 3.5 inches wide. Depending on the material used for the sheets 22 and 24, the sheets 22 and 24 can be sealed via an adhesive bond, a thermal seal, a sewn seam, etc. When plastic material is used for the sheets 22 and 24, the sheets are preferably sealed via a thermal seal, which can be formed using a thermal press, an ultrasonic heat sealing process, a hot air sealing process, a process of heating in hot band or similar methods. Preferably, a second distal seal 42 and 44 can be formed at the distal ends of the fins 30 and 32 to improve the connection between the blades 22 and 24 in the fins 30 and 32. The improved connection between the blades 22 and 24 in the fin regions it prevents the leaves from separating at the distant ends of the fins. This provides improved handles 16, 18 formed in the fins by ensuring that a user engages with both sheets 22 and 24 when fastening either one of the handle 16 and 18. The seals 26 and 28 are preferably substantially permanent non-resealing links. The use of a substantially similar moisture impermeable material or plastic material for the sheets 22 and 24, combined with the use of substantially permanent links for the seals 26 and 28 provides a high degree of protection to the loose materials 14 stored inside. of the bag 10. Substantially permanent links 26 and 28, such as formed with a heat sealing process, are highly impervious to air and moisture, which protects the loose materials 14 from such contact. further, the substantially permanent links 26 and 28 provide a robust seal that is difficult to inadvertently break, such as during handling and packaging. Thus, the seals 26 and 28 are preferably a substantially permanent bond, such as a thermal seal link or a permanent adhesive bond that provides a substantially impermeable connection between the sheets 22 and 24. In order to reinforce the handles, a patch 34 , 36 may optionally be placed on one or both sides of the fins 30 and 32. The patches 34, 36 may include a plastic material of about 2 to 12 mils in thickness and preferably about 5.5 mils in thickness. The patches 34 and 36 can be manufactured from plastic bands, such as polyethylene, which are respectively bonded to the fins 30 and 32. The patches 34 and 36 can be made from other materials, such as a known fibrous tape. as DUCT or TYVEK tape. The patches 34 and 36 can be adhered using various means, such as a thermal bond, an adhesive or a resin such as an epoxy resin or a hydrocarbon resin. To form each handle 16 and 18, a series of perforations can be cut through the material layers 30, 32 and the patch 34, 36 to form a grip 38, 40. Alternatively, the grip 38 and 40 can be formed to from a single cut. One or both of the grips 38 and 40 can be cut through the fins 30 and 32 after the fins are formed and the bag 10 is filled and sealed. Alternatively, the grips 38 and 40 may be pre-cut in the panels 22 and 24 prior to the formation of the bag 10. In addition, one or both of the grips 38 and 40 may be pre-cut in the unfilled bag 10. A cut-off handle provides A simple and not expensive handle that works well with a bag that has handles on opposite ends. This is because the vertical angle of the bag affects the width of the material by transmitting the force to the user's hand. When using handles at opposite ends, the bag 10 is generally oriented in a horizontal position, which greatly improves the amount of transfer force of the material from the handle to the user's hand. As shown in Figures 1-4, the tear seam 20 can be formed from a line of perforations through the sheets 22 and 24 and the material 32 as disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 6,402,379. The proportions can be punched or cut through the sheets 22 and 24. The perforations can be formed before the formation of the bag 10 as part of the process to form the bag 10 or after the bag 10 is formed.

Other innovation technologies can also be used, such as various other tear seam designs, tear-off end portions, end seams pulled separately, etc. Referring now to Figures 5 and 6, a bag 110 of loose material of two handles according to another embodiment of the invention is shown. The bag 110 generally includes the aspects and preferences of the bag 10, except that it pertains to the attached flap 130 discussed hereinafter and the second tear seam 21. As shown, the bag 110 includes a first flap 32 formed as discussed in connection with the bag 10. the second flap 130 is formed by folding portions of the end of the sheets 22 and 24. The pleated portions are joined along the seal 26 in the same manner as discussed in connection with the bag 10. A grip 138 is cut through the double layers of the material in the fin 130 to form the handle 116. As with the bag 10, the grip 138 may be formed from a complete cut or a series of perforations. In addition, as with the bag 10, the grip 138 can be cut after the bag 110 is filled and sealed or pre-cut before filling and sealing the bag 110. By duplicating the layers of material in the fin 130, it is provided a reinforced handle 116. For example, if each sheet 22, 24 has a thickness of approximately 5.5 thousandths of an inch, then the fin 130 has an overall thickness of approximately 22 mils compared to 11 mils without the fold. The thicker handle improves resistance and reduces the amount of pressure applied to the user's hand. Bag 110 includes a second tear seam 21 disposed proximate to handle flap 130. Handles at opposite ends along with tear seams at opposite ends provide the user with flexibility in how to handle bag 110 and stock materials thereof. . Referring now to Figures 7 and 8, there is shown a bag 210 for loose material of two handles according to a further embodiment of the invention. The bag 210 generally includes the aspects and preferences of the bag 10, except that it pertains to the folded flaps 230 and 232 discussed hereinafter. As shown, the bag 210 includes a pair of opposed folded flaps 230 and 232 formed as discussed in relation to the bag 110. In addition, the patches 234 and 236 can optionally be attached to the fins 230 and 232 respectively as discussed in FIG. relationship with the bag 10. As shown in Figure 7, the patches 234 and 236 can be rounded or have other shapes as desired. As with the previous embodiments, the grips 238 and 240 are formed from a single cut or a series of perforations through the double layers of material of the fins 230 and 232 and, if added, through patches 234 and 236 to form the handle 116. The patches 234, 236 complement the folded material of the fins 230 and 232 to further reinforce the handles 216 and 218. However, the folded material of the fins 230 and 232 may have sufficient strength without the addition of patches 234 and 236. Referring now to Figure 9 together with Figures 1 and 14, a method 310 is generally shown for forming a sealed multi-handle bag, such as bag 10, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. invention. According to method 310, an open bag is formed 312 having a handle at a first sealed end. Using the bag 10 shown in Figure 1 as an example, an open bag is formed generally from a plastic tube, which can include the sheets 22 and 24 joined along their side sides. The tube of plastic material can be formed from various methods, such as an extrusion process. In an alternative arrangement, an open bag can be formed by sealing the sheets 22 and 24 together along three sides. A handle 18 can be formed at the first sealed end by sealing opposing sheets 22 and 24 to each other, such that a fin 32 of the end 32 is formed which extends beyond the seal 28. Preferably, the seal 28 is a double seal composed of a pair of substantially parallel seals arranged close together, which provide a higher resistance and a more resilient link between leaves 22 and 24 than a single seal. A distal seal 44 along the end portions of the fin 32 can further join the layers of the sheet material forming the end flap 32. The distal seal 44 provides a more robust handle 16 by preventing the material from blade on fin 32 is pulled. The handle 18 can be formed by cutting one or more perforations 40 through the fin 32 in the form of a desired grip. Other handle configurations are possible, such as those discussed above together with the bags 10, 110 and 210, which may include a reinforcing patch 36 or folded layers of material. Reinforcing patches 36, 38 can be added to the appropriate fin regions 30, 32 of the sheets 22, 24 at various points in the process. For example, a patch 38 may be added to the flap 30 after the seal 28 is formed. In another example, the patch 38 can be added after the open bag is formed 312 and can be pre-cut with a single cut or perforations to match the handle cut (s) 40 in the flap 32. In one example In addition, the patch 38 may be pre-applied to the bag material prior to the formation of the open bag and may be pre-cut via a single cut 40 or a series of perforations.

In a preferred embodiment, the empty open bag is filled and sealed via a commercial packing process 310. In such commercial process, each open bag is hung vertically on a conveyor (not shown) in an open configuration with the open end facing upwards and with the first sealed end and handle 18 oriented downward. Then the open bag is filled with loose materials such as salt through the open end. Once filled, the handle flap 310 at the open end is formed as long as the open end is sealed and closed Figure 14 shows a thermal seal station 50 for the bag 10 according to a packing method of the bag. invention, which illustrates an embodiment of the sealing step 316 of the method 310. As shown, opposite sheets 22 and 24 are glued together with a seal 26, such that additional material extends beyond the seal 26 to form the handle flap 30. Preferably, the material layers in the flap 30 are also sealed together along their distal portions to form the second distal seal 42. Excess material extending beyond the second distal seal 42 may to be trimmed via cutting elements 51 as needed As shown, the seal 26 and the distal seal 42 are preferably formed substantially simultaneously.

In the commercial packaging system of which the heat sealing station 50 is a part, this can occur by compressing the sheets 22 and 24 between a first pair of opposed guides 52 at the location for the seal 26, while simultaneously compressing substantially the sheets 22 and 24 between a second pair 54 of opposite guides at the location for the distant seal 42. While the sheets 22 and 24 are fused together, a first and second pair of opposite heating bars 56 transfer heat to the sheets 22 and 24 and thereby form the seal 26. If a single seal is desired instead of a double seal, only the first pair of heating rods can be or would be used to form the seal 26. Substantially at the same time, a third pair of opposing heating rods 58 transfers heat to the sheets 22, 24 to form the distant seal 42. A pair of opposed feed belts 60 advances the bag 10 between the guides and heating rods. for the sealing operation. An opposite pair of cooling tubes 62 cools the seals 26 and 42 as the bag 10 advances beyond the cooling tubes 62. As shown, the filled bag is preferably hung vertically by the sealing process, which prevents loose materials interfere with seals. The formation of seals 26 and 42 substantially at the same time provide several advantages. It reduces the stages in the commercial process compared to the separate sealing stages for each seal, which saves time and production costs. In addition, the compression of the sheets 22 and 24 at the same time keeps the sheets 22 and 42 in a taut configuration in the fin area 30, which provides an improved handle 16. In the case of a pre-cut handle, the sealing substantially of Simultaneously of the sheets • together can provide improved alignment between the pre-cut grip holes 38 in each sheet. If the handle 16 is not pre-cut, it can be formed by cutting 318 one or more gripping holes 38 through the fin 30 in the form of a desired grip after the heat sealing operation. As mentioned above, the handle 16 can also be formed by pre-cutting one or more perforations 38 through opposite sheets 22 and 24 prior to the formation of the bag 10 or before filling and sealing the bag 10. When it is pre-cut, the handle 16 is formed from the pre-cut line or series of perforations 38 as the opposite leaves 22 and 24 are sealed together to form the fin 30. Other handle configurations are possible, such as that discussed above together with the bags 10, 110, 210, which may include a reinforcing patch 38 or folded layers of material or such as the rigid handle discussed later together with the bag 510. Referring now to Figure 10, together with Figures 5 and 6, a method 410 is generally shown for forming a sealed multi-hand bag, such as bag 110, according to another embodiment of the invention. The method 410 includes the same aspects and preferences as the method 310, except that it is concerned with the formation of the handle 116 together with the sealing of the open end. As shown, end portions of the opposing sheets 22 and 24 can be folded 415 to form a folded flap 130 as part of the open end seal. As such, a double thickness handle 116 is formed at the previously opened end. As discussed above with the method 310, one or more patches may be added to either or both of the handle flaps 130 and 32. As also discussed above with the method 310, one or more perforations 138 may be cut in the flap 130 to form the handle 116. Alternatively, one or more perforations 138 may be precut on the opposite sheets 22 and 24 prior to bag formation 110 or prior to filling and sealing the bag 110. As with method 310 , a distal seal (not shown) can also be formed in the fin 130. Referring now to Figures 11 and 12, there is shown a bag 510 for loose material of two handles according to a further embodiment of the invention. The bag 510 generally includes the aspects and preferences of the bag 10, except that it belongs to the rigid handle 510 discussed later herein. As shown, the bag 510 includes a rigid handle 516 at the first end and a flap 32 at the second opposite end with the handle 18 formed therein as discussed in connection with the bag 10. As shown, the handle 18 it includes a single perforation 40 formed to form the grip. As with the modalities discussed previously, the perforation can be cut through the sealed, pre-cut form in the sheet material 22 and 24 prior to the formation of the pouch 510 or pre-cut in the unfilled pouch. The rigid handle 516 is a relatively rigid handle made from plastic, metal or a comparatively rigid material, which is attached to the bag 510 at the first end. For example, the rigid handle 516 may be an injection molded plastic handle that is bonded to the heat seal 26 via a thermal bond, an adhesive bond or a seam attachment. The rigid handle 516 provides advantages over the handles formed through plastic sheets, such as the handle 18 formed in the fin 32. For example, the rigid handle 516 is comparatively easier to grasp than the handle 18 due to its Width larger W and thickness T, which is particularly advantageous when it is used as a single handle for transporting the bag 510. Consequently, when a user holds the bag 510 using the rigid handle 516 as a single handle, the force is spread over a larger area and through this transmits less pressure to the user's hand. In addition, due to the rigid nature of the rigid handle 516, it does not bulge around the user's hand, which avoids the discomfort associated with the ductile handles that accumulate around the user's hand. In addition, the rigid handle 516 can be stronger than the handle 18 and comparable handles, which can stretch or break more easily when used as a single handle. Referring now to Figure 13 together with Figures 10 and 11, a method 610 is generally shown for forming a sealed multi-hand bag such as the bag 510, according to another embodiment of the invention. Method 610 generally includes the same aspects and preferences as method 310, except that it concerns the formation of handle 516. As shown, the handle 418 is formed at the second end by sealing the opposing sheets 22 and 24 to each other, such that the end flap 32 is formed extending beyond the seal 28. A distal seal 44 along the portions at the end of the fin 32 can also join the layers of material forming the fin 32.

The handle 18 can be formed by cutting 614 one or more perforations 40 through the fin 32 in the form of a desired grip. Alternatively, one or more perforations 40 can be pre-cut in opposite sheets 22 and 24, such that the handle 18 is formed when the sheets 22 and 24 are sealed together to form the fin 32. Other steps to form the handle 18 can also to be used, such as those discussed above together with bags 10, 110 and 210, which may include adding a reinforcing patch or folded layers of material. After the open bag is formed, the bag 10 is filled 616 with loose materials such as salt through the first open end. Once filled, the first end is sealed 618 to form the seal 26. The rigid handle 516 is attached 620 to the first end by attaching it to the seal 26 via a thermal seal, an adhesive, a mechanical joint and / or other attachment means. While the present invention has been described in relation to the illustrated embodiments, it will be appreciated and understood that modifications can be made without deviating from the true spirit and scope of the invention. In particular, the invention is applied to light use, moderate use and heavy use bags containing loose materials also as restricted materials. In addition, the invention is applied to various bag shapes and sizes and a wide variety of types of handles. It is noted that, with regard to this date, the best method known to the applicant to carry out the aforementioned invention is that which is clear from the present description of the invention.

Claims (41)

1. CLAIMS Having described the invention as above, the content of the following claims is claimed as property: 1. A multi-hand bag, sealed to pack loose materials, characterized in that it comprises: a sealed non-resealable body having a first end and a second successively opposite end, the body includes a pair of opposed panels defining a storage cavity therebetween, the opposite panels are joined together and at the first end and the second end, the opposite panels attached together at the first end for forming a first seam, a first flap formed from portions of the opposite panels except for beyond the first seam at the first end, a first handle formed on the first flap and a second handle attached to the second end.
2. 2. The multi-hand bag sealed in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the pair of opposed panels includes a first portion of a tube wall substantially opposite a second portion of the tube wall.
3. 3. The multi-hand bag sealed in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the first flap includes a stack of panels formed from the portions of the opposite panels extending beyond the seam and the first handle is formed by one of a cut and a series of perforations formed through the pile. .
4. The multi-hand bag sealed in accordance with claim 3, characterized in that the first handle further comprises a patch attached to the stack of panels and one of cutting and a series of perforations extends through the patch.
5. The sealed multi-handle bag according to claim 3, characterized in that the stack of panels includes a double stack of panels formed from the portions of the opposite panels that extend beyond the seam that is folded and appended to themselves.
6. 6. The multi-hand bag sealed in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the second handle includes a rigid handle attached to the second end.
7. 7. The multi-hand bag sealed in accordance with claim 6, characterized in that the rigid handle includes an injection molded plastic handle.
8. 8. The multi-hand bag sealed in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that it also comprises loose materials stored within the storage cavity.
9. 9. The multi-hand bag sealed in accordance with claim 8, characterized in that the loose materials include salt.
10. The multi-hand bag sealed in accordance with claim 9, characterized in that the loose materials are selected from the group consisting of fertilizer materials, cement, granular chemical compounds, pet food and gardening materials.
11. 11. The multi-hand bag sealed according to claim 1, characterized in that the opposed panels are appended to each other at the second end to form a second seam, the sealed multi-hand bag further comprises a second flap formed from portions of the opposing panels extending beyond the second seam at the second end.
12. 12. The multi-hand bag sealed in accordance with claim 11, characterized in that the second handle is formed in the second flap.
13. 13. The multi-hand bag sealed in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the opposed panels include one or more layers of plastic material.
14. 14. The multi-hand bag sealed in accordance with claim 13, characterized in that the plastic material includes a polyolefin material.
15. 15. The multi-hand bag sealed in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises a first tear seam at the first end.
16. 16. The multi-hand bag sealed in accordance with claim 15, characterized in that it also comprises a second tear seam at the second end.
17. 17. The multi-hand bag sealed in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises a plurality of tear seams.
18. 18. The sealed multi-hand bag for loose materials, characterized in that it comprises: a sealed body having a first end and a second substantially opposite end, the body includes a first plastic sheet spaced apart from a second sheet of plastic to form a Storage cavity, the plastic sheets are sealed together at the first and second ends, the sealed body is non-resealable; loose materials stored inside the storage cavity; a first handle attached to the first end and a second handle attached to the second end.
19. 19. The sealed multi-handle loose bag according to claim 18, characterized in that the first handle includes: a sheet having one or more layers and one of a cut and a series of perforations formed through the sheet for form a handle.
20. 20. The sealed multi-handle loose bag according to claim 19, characterized in that the first handle further comprises a patch attached to the double thickness sheet and one of a cut and the series of perforations extends through the patch. .
21. 21. The sealed multi-handle loose bag according to claim 19, characterized in that the sheet is folded and attached to itself to form a sheet of double thickness and one of a cut and a series of perforations formed through the sheet. the double thickness sheet to form the handle.
22. 22. The sealed multi-handle loose bag according to claim 18, characterized in that the first handle includes a rigid handle.
23. 23. The sealed multi-handle loose bag according to claim 22, characterized in that the rigid handle includes an injection molded plastic handle.
24. 24. The sealed multi-handle loose bag according to claim 18, characterized in that the loose materials include salt.
25. 25. The sealed multi-handle loose bag according to claim 18, characterized in that the loose materials are selected from the group consisting of fertilizer materials, cement, granular chemical compounds, pet food and gardening materials.
26. 26. The sealed multi-hand bag for loose materials according to claim 18, characterized in that the first and second handles are formed from the first and second sheets.
27. 27. The sealed multi-handle loose bag according to claim 18, characterized in that the first and second sheets include one or more layers of plastic material.
28. 28. The sealed multi-handle loose bag according to claim 27, characterized in that the plastic material includes a polyolefin material.
29. 29. The sealed multi-handle loose bag according to claim 18, characterized in that it further comprises a first tear seam at the first end.
30. 30. The sealed multi-handle loose bag according to claim 29, characterized in that it further comprises a second tear seam at the second end.
31. 31. The sealed multi-handle loose bag according to claim 18, characterized in that the sealed body includes a tube having closed ends.
32. 32. A sealed multi-handle salt bag, characterized in that it comprises: a plastic tube having opposite portions of the tube thermally sealed together to form a first seal at a first end and a second seal at a second end sufficiently opposite to the first end to form a sealed non-resealable bag; salt contained within a sealed bag cavity; a first fin formed from portions of the opposite tube portions extending beyond the first seal; a first handle formed in the first fin; a second flap formed from portions of the opposite tube portions extending beyond the second seal and a second handle formed in the second flap.
33. 33. A method for filling and sealing a bag of multiple handles, the method characterized in that it comprises: forming an open bag having a sealed end, an opposite open end and a handle attached to the sealed end; fill the bag with the loose materials through the open end and form a handle flap at the open end while sealing the open end.
34. 34. The method according to claim 33, characterized in that it further comprises forming one of a cut and a series of perforations through the handle flap to form a handle.
35. 35. The method according to claim 33, characterized in that the step of forming a handle flap includes sealing opposite sheets of the bag material together to form a first seal, the first seal defines an internal side of the next handle high to a storage pocket of the bag.
36. 36. The method according to claim 35, characterized in that the step of sealing the opposite sheets of the bag material together to form a first seal includes sealing the opposite sheets of the bag material together in two places, wherein the first seal includes a double seal.
37. 37. The method according to claim 35, characterized in that the step of forming a fin of the handle further includes sealing the opposite sheets of the bag material together to form a second seal, the second seal defining a distant side of the fin of the bag. magician.
38. 38. The method according to claim 37, characterized in that the step of sealing the opposite sheets to form the first seal and the step of sealing the opposing layers to form the second seal occur substantially simultaneously.
39. 39. The method according to claim 33, characterized in that the step of forming a handle flap includes folding the sheet material at the open end to form a double thickness handle flap at the open end.
40. 40. A method for filling and sealing a multi-hand bag, the method characterized in that it comprises: sealing opposite sheets of the bag material together to form a handle flap at a first end; forming an area of a cut and a series of perforations through the handle flap to form a handle; filling the bag with loose materials through a second open end; seal the second end and attach a rigid handle to the second end.
41. 41. The method according to claim 40, characterized in that it further comprises the step of folding the sheet material at the first end to form a double thickness handle flap at the first end.