MXPA99010294A - Flexible bag with selectively-activatible support-engagement feature - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a flexible bag (10) comprising at least one sheet of flexible sheet material assembled to form a semi-enclosed container having an interior surface, an exterior surface, an opening having a peripheral edge (28), and a support-engagement feature (30) located on the exterior surface at least partially surrounding the peripheral edge. The support-engagement feature comprises a strip of material having a first side facing outwardly from the exterior surface and a second side facing inwardly toward the interior surface. The first side exhibits an adhesion peel force after activation by a user which is greater than an adhesion peel force exhibited prior to activation by a user. The support-engagement feature preferably at least partially, and more preferably fully, circumferentially surrounds the peripheral edge. The selectively-activatible support-engagement feature also preferably functions as a closure means (40) to secure the opening of the flexible bag in a substantially closed condition when the bag material is gathered about the opening, thus providing for ease of sealability without the need for additional closure features or separate elements. Additional closure means may be provided utilizing the selectively-activatible materials suitable for use as a support-engagement feature located on the inner surface of the peripheral edge of the bag. The support-engagement features of the present invention provide a flexible bag which is capable of reliably engaging a supporting device so it may be supported in an open condition for filling purposes. Such a feature also reduces the likelihood of trapped air and/or free space occurring when the bag is utilized with a rigid or semi-rigid durable container.

Description

FLEXIBLE BAG WITH CHARACTERISTICS OF COUPLING TO A SUPPORT AND SELECTIVE ACTIVATION FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to flexible bags, in particular those that are suitable for use in conjunction with support devices to maintain the bag in an open condition so that it can receive articles from different origins. The present invention also relates to flexible bags suitable for use with a removable and replaceable liner in a reusable and durable container.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The flexible bags that are used in containers for various items, as well as for the preservation of perishable materials such as food, are well known in the art. These bags typically comprise a rectangular sheet of polymer film folded on itself and sealed along two edges in order to form a semi-closed container, having two flexible and opposite side walls, three folded or sealed edges and one open edge. . A closure formed integrally with the bag, such as a locking rib type seal, purlins, handles or fins, or is provided separately as a plastic tie or wire tie coated with paper, which completes the container unit. As used herein the term "flexible" is used to refer to materials that are capable of bending or bending, especially repeatedly, so that they are collapsible and flexible in response to forces applied externally. Consequently "flexible" is essentially opposite in meaning to the terms inflexible, rigid or that does not yield. The materials structures that are flexible can, therefore, be altered in their form and structure to adapt to external forces and conform to the shape of objects that are put in contact with them, without losing their integrity. The flexible bags of the above variety are typically formed from polymeric film, for example polyethylene or other members of the polyolefin family, in thicknesses between about 0.0002 inches to about 0.002 inches. These films are often opaque and / or colored, but they can also be transparent. Conventional flexible bags create an inherent challenge in terms of being able to hold the flaccid bag in an open condition with at least one hand, so that the other hand can manipulate another container to pour the contents into the bag or place articles peeled, cut or trimmed so that they can be inserted into it. Accordingly, it is common practice to use these flexible bags as a reusable, replaceable liner to support devices such as a hoop or a rigid or semi-rigid container having an opening corresponding approximately to the size of the mouth of the bag. In order to prevent the bag from falling into the support device and causing the mouth of the bag to close inaccessibly, it is also common practice to pull the mouth of the bag laterally out of the opening in the device of support and downwards, at least in a small extension on the flange, rim or upper edge of the support device so that it frictionally engages the support device. Measures such as tying knots in the mouth of the bag to reduce its circumference or the use of retention devices such as garters, is also sometimes used. A common scenario for illustrative purposes is the use of plastic garbage bags that are used as liners in durable and reusable garbage containers. While this approach has been common, difficulties still exist since sometimes the size of the bag can not be matched to the size of the bag.

P911 support device. Also, when the friction coupling is less than required, the action of placing the articles inside the flexible bag has a tendency to cause the mouth of the bag to move upwards., towards the flange, flange or upper edge of the support device to the point where the mouth of the bag can slide and be free of the ring of the support device. Another issue of this approach is that air and / or free space may be trapped between the outer surface of the flexible bag and the inner surface of the support device when the initially empty bag is inserted into a durable, semi-rigid or rigid container. , typically closed to a great extent, and large in size, and frictionally or tightly engages with the ring of the container by folding or stretching the material of the bag. This situation often limits the possibility of fully utilizing the full potential volume of the flexible bag since trapped air prevents the bag from expanding to reach the interior volume of the durable container. While the flexible bags of the previous variety have enjoyed a wide degree of commercial success, their use of mechanical type closures tends to cause difficulties in the operation in the case of P911 people who have a minor manual dexterity such as children, the elderly, patients with arthritis, etc. In addition, these mechanical seals typically require alignment of the mechanical elements for operation, which can be a challenge for those who have diminished vision or who have diminished eye-hand coordination. Many mechanical closing mechanisms also provide leakage sites at locations such as the ends of the locking channels, where liquid or gases can leak into or out of the bag. Another closure design usually requires the user to engage in tying or twisting movements. In an attempt to solve this alternative issue, closure mechanisms have been developed that are based on strips or regions of adhesive that join overlapping regions of the bag. While these closures are aimed at solving certain difficulties in the use of separate fasteners or mechanical locking elements, some adhesive locking mechanisms require removable liners to protect the adhesive against premature activation, thus adding more elements for assembly and an additional activation step before use. In addition, some configurations that have a protected adhesive require interlocking grooves, channels or projections that must match properly to be able to couple the adhesive, thus elevating the coordination and vision requirements of conventional mechanical closing mechanisms. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a flexible bag that is capable of reliably coupling a support device so that it can be supported in an open condition for purposes of filling it. It would also be desirable to provide a flexible bag of this type that reduces the likelihood of trapped air and / or free space when the bag is to be used with a rigid or semi-rigid durable container. It would also be desirable to provide a flexible bag that has an improved sealing ability during use. It would also be desirable to provide a bag having the above attributes in a convenient unitary form, avoiding the need for separate closure devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a flexible bag comprising at least one sheet of flexible sheet material assembled to form a semi-closed container having an interior surface, a surface P911 exterior, an opening having a peripheral edge and a support coupling feature located on the outer surface that at least partially surrounds the peripheral edge. The support coupling feature comprises a strip of material having a first side facing outward from the outer surface and a second side facing inward towards the inner surface. The first side exhibits an adhesion separation force after activation by a user, which is greater than the adhesion separation force exhibited before activation by a user. The support coupling feature preferably, at least partially and, more preferably, completely circumferentially surrounds the peripheral edge. The selective activation support coupling feature also preferably functions as a closure means for securing the opening of the flexible bag in a substantially closed condition when the bag material gathers near the opening, thus providing easier capacity of the bag. sealed without the need for additional closure features or separate elements. Other closure means may be provided which utilize selected, suitable activatable materials P911 s to be used as a support coupling feature placed on the inner surface of the peripheral edge of the bag. The support coupling features of this invention provide a flexible bag that is capable of reliably coupling a support device, so that the bag can be supported in an open condition so that it can be filled. This feature also reduces the likelihood of trapped air and / or free space when the bag is used with a durable, rigid or semi-rigid container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS While the specification concludes with the claims that in particular indicate and distinctly claim the present invention, it is considered that the present invention will be better understood from the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: that the reference numbers are used consistently, wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a flexible bag according to the present invention, in an open and empty condition; Figure 2 is a perspective view similar to that of Figure 1 of another embodiment of a flexible bag according to the present invention; Figure 3 is a perspective view similar to that of Figure 1 of another embodiment of a flexible bag according to the present invention; Figure 4 is a perspective view similar to that of Figure 1 of another embodiment of a flexible bag according to the present invention; Figure 5 is a top plan view - of a preferred embodiment of a material suitable for use as a support coupling feature of the present invention, which exposes a piece of material having truncated conical projections surrounded by a pattern of interconnected substance; Figure 6 is a top, partial, enlarged top view of the material of Figure 5, showing an arrangement of projections; Figure 7 is a sectional view and elevation, taken along line 7-7 of Figure 6, showing the projections acting as supports for a layer of substance between projections, so the white surface containing the ends further out of the projections do not come into contact with the substance layer; Figure 8 is a sectional view and elevation similar to Figure 7, showing the effect of pressing the material against the white surface, so that the projections are deformed by inverting and / or crushing them substantially to allow the layer of substance to enter. the projections come in contact with the white surface; Figure 9 is a view in elevation and section of the material of Figures 5 to 8, showing the preferred dimensional relationship of the projections; Figure 10 is a schematic view of a method suitable for making a material suitable for use as a support coupling feature of the present invention, showing a forming screen in the form of a belt wound around a vacuum drum and a drive pulley; Figure 11 is a perspective view of a representative, reusable, durable container suitable for use as a support device together with a flexible bag according to the present invention; Figure 12 is a perspective view of a durable and reusable container of Figure 10 with a flexible bag, according to the present invention, placed therein in the form of a replaceable and removable liner; and Figure 13 is a perspective view of a flexible bag of the present invention in a securely filled and closed condition.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Figure 1 illustrates a currently preferred embodiment of the flexible bag 10 according to the present invention. In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1, the flexible bag 10 includes a bag body 20 formed from a piece of flexible sheet material folded on itself along the fold line 22 and joined * as well as length of side seams 24 and 26, to form a semi-closed container having an edge 28 that is open. The flexible bag 10 also includes a support coupling feature 30 located adjacent the edge 28 for coupling a support device to hold the flexible bag in an open condition for filling in use. The support coupling feature can be selectively bondable and activatable with complementary surfaces, and resealable from these surfaces, as will be described later. As shown in Figure 1, the flexible bag 10 also includes an additional and optional closure means 40 for securing the bag to a closed condition after use. The flexible bag 10 is useful for containing and protecting a wide variety of materials and / or objects P911 contained inside the body of the bag. Figure 1 illustrates the flexible bag 10 in an open condition wherein the edge 28 is opened to admit materials and / or objects into the bag body portion of the flexible bag 10. Although illustrated without folds or gussets, The characteristics of the present invention also apply to bags formed with this type of structural elements. The bags, for example the flexible bag 10 of Figure 1, can also be constructed of a continuous tube of sheet material, thus eliminating the side seams 24 and 26 and replacing a bottom seam with the fold line 22. In the embodiment Preferred of Figure 10, the support coupling feature comprises a band or strip of comparatively narrow material extending circumferentially, essentially around the entire periphery of the bag body 20 in the vicinity of the upper edge 28, and is preferably separated slightly down from it. Alternatively, the support coupling feature having a smaller circumferential extension can also be used, as presented by the embodiments of Figures 2 and 3. In the embodiment of Figure 2, one or more strips of material that extend in shape circumferential are oriented substantially parallel to the upper or peripheral edges 28 and comprise coupling features 3. As shown in Figure 3, a plurality of strips of similar material are oriented in an essentially normal direction to the upper edge 28 and can comprise to the support coupling feature 30. Other variations such as a plurality of parallel bands or strips in any of the circumferential, normal or directional orientations may be used as desired. An additional embodiment of a flexible bag illustrated in Figure 4 is a bag that includes at least one support coupling feature 30, and preferably a plurality of these features, in the form of flexible straps extending upwards and / or outwardly from the upper edge 28 of the bag body 20. These strips may be of any desired shape (eg lobes, tabs, etc.) and may be attached to the material of the bag body 20 or may be unitarily formed therewith. Various compositions suitable for building the flexible bags of the present invention include substantially impermeable materials such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC), polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), aluminum foil, coated paper (waxed, etc.) and uncoated, coated fabrics, etc., and essentially materials P911 permeable as canvases, meshes, fabrics, nonwovens or perforated or porous films, either of a predominantly two-dimensional nature or formed in three-dimensional structures. These materials may comprise a single composition or layer or may be a composite structure of multiple materials, including a substrate material used as a carrier for a substance. Once the desired sheet materials have been made in any desirable or suitable form, comprising all the materials to be used for the bag body or a portion thereof, the bag can be constructed in any known and suitable manner, such as by examples known in the art for making these bags in the commercially available form. Heat or adhesive sealing technologies can be used to join various components or elements of the bag themselves or to others. In addition, the bag bodies can be thermoformed, blown or molded from a blank or sheet of material instead of using folding and joining techniques for the construction of bag bodies from a sheet or material sheet. . In accordance with the present invention, the support coupling feature illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 is constructed from an elective activating adhesive structure, which provides a secure bond with complementary surfaces during activation. In the sense used herein the term "selectively activated" is used to refer to materials that exhibit essentially non-adherent properties when placed in contact with the white surfaces, until the user develops some action to "activate" the material In order to reveal the adhesive properties. Accordingly, the selective activation properties differ from those of permanently active adhesive strips that rely on the removal of liner materials (typically silicone-coated paper strips) to expose the adhesive for use. The selective activation of these materials allows the user to properly position the opposing surfaces before activation and adhesion is achieved, as well as minimizing the likelihood of contamination of the support coupling feature by the contents of the bag during operations. filling. Preferably, the selective activation process is reversible so that the support coupling feature can be deactivated and the bag can be removed from the device.

P911 stand and then reactivated for its additional coupling, without significant loss of adhesive capacity. Although the material used for the support coupling feature can be provided with two active surfaces or sides, if desired for particular applications, for example to provide a means for securing the characteristic to the bag or for providing a closure means for sealing the bag, according to the present invention, it is currently preferred to provide this material only with one active side and one inactive or inert side. Various activation means are visualized within the scope of the present invention, for example: mechanical activation by compression, mechanical activation by tension forces and thermal activation. However, it is envisioned that other activation means that could activate an adhesive or an adhesive-like feature, which may be capable of functioning as described herein, may or may be developed. In a preferred embodiment, the active side can be activated by an externally applied force exerted on the sheet of material. The force may be a compression force externally applied in a direction substantially perpendicular to the sheet of material, and a tension force applied externally and exerted in a direction substantially parallel to the sheet of material, or a combination thereof. Regardless of the form of activation, the materials useful as a support coupling feature according to the present invention will exhibit an adhesive, sticky or sticky property as opposed to simply an affinity or binding character. As used herein the term "adhesive" is therefore used to refer to the ability of a material to exhibit an adherent characteristic, regardless of whether it actually includes a composition that is commonly understood and labeled as an adhesive. Consequently, these materials will form a union or seal upon contact with themselves or with another white surface, as opposed to simply joining that surface. While several approaches, such as the use of selectively adherent materials, can be used to provide the desired adhesive properties, a currently preferred approach is to use a pressure sensitive adhesive. When designing useful materials as a support coupling feature according to the present invention, it may be desirable to design the particular selection of the adhesive agent in order to provide either P911 a permanent link or a resealable link as desired for a particular application. When a permanent connection is desired, removal of the flexible bag from the support device requires the destruction of the bag. Resealable links, on the other hand, allow separation of the support coupling feature from the support device at the bonding site, without destruction. In addition, depending on the activation mechanism employed in the design of the material, the resealable joint can additionally be reattached if sufficient adhesive property remains after the initial activation / bonding / release cycle. The support coupling features useful in the present invention exhibit an adhesion surface that survives the likely degree of handling and internal and external forces for the flexible bag, which will likely be had during use while retaining the desired level of coupling. adhesive with the opposite surface. At the same time, in a preferred embodiment, the support coupling feature is a material essentially without affinity or binding. Suitable methods for measuring and quantifying adhesive and bonding properties are described in greater detail in the copending U.S. Patent Application, commonly assigned to Serial No. 08 / 744,850.

P911 filed on November 8, 1996 in the name of Hamilton and McGuire, entitled "Material Having a Substance Protected by Deformable Supports and Method for Making the Same" the exhibit of which is incorporated herein by reference. The support coupling feature used according to the present invention comprises a sheet of material having a first side and a second side. The first side comprises an active side that exhibits an adhesion separation force upon activation by the user, which is greater than an adhesion separation force exhibited prior to activation by the user. The active side of the support coupling feature preferably exhibits an adhesion separation force of at least about 1 ounce per linear inch, more preferably between about 1 and about 2.5 ounces per linear inch, after the activation that effect the user. A material of this type and of current interest that is used in a support coupling feature, according to the present invention, comprises a three-dimensional conformable canvas comprising an active substance, for example an adhesive, on at least one surface protected from contact External P911 through the three-dimensional surface topography of the base material. These materials comprise a polymeric material or another type of sheet material that is embossed in high relief / embossed to form a pattern of "dimples" high on at least one surface that serves as a support, to prevent an adhesive between them get in contact with the external surfaces until the supports are deformed to make the surface more two-dimensional. Representative adhesive carrier structures include those set forth in United States Patent Application Serial No. 08 / 584,638, co-pending and commonly assigned, filed January 10, 1996 in the name of Hamilton and McGuire, entitled "Material Compound of Releasable Sealing with a White Surface When Pressed Against Same and Method to Prepare the Same, "08 / 744,850 filed on November 8, 1996 in the name of Hamilton and McGuire entitled" Material that has a Substance Protected by Deformable Support and Method for Making the Same ", 08 / 745,339 filed on November 8, 1996 in the name of McGuire, Tweddell and Hamilton, entitled" Resilient Sheet Materials, Three-Dimensional and Method and Apparatus for Making Same, "08 / 745,340 , presented on November 8, 1996 to Hamilton and McGuire's man, entitled "Materials of P911 Enhanced Storage Sheath. "The exhibits of these applications are incorporated herein by reference.The three-dimensional structure comprises a piece of deformable material having a first side formed to have a plurality of hollow projections separated by planar sections or valleys. hollow projections have ends more outwards The piece of material has a second side The second side has a plurality of depressions therein corresponding to the plurality of hollow projections on the first side The substance adheres to the valleys and partially filled between the plurality of hollow projections The substance has a surface below the ends more outwardly of the plurality of the hollow projections, so that when a portion of the first side of the deformable film part is placed against a white surface , the plurality of hollow projections avoid contact between the surface icie and the white surface, until the portion deforms on the white surface. Preferably, the plurality of projections are deformed by modes that are selected from the group consisting of invert, crush and elongate. Preferably, in inversion and / or crush modes, each of the plurality of projections will not deform simultaneously until exposed to a pressure of at least 0.1 pounds per square inch (0.69 kPa). Figures 5 to 9 illustrate a preferred embodiment of a material useful as a support coupling feature for flexible bags according to the present invention, comprising a structure similar to a three-dimensional sheet, generally indicated as 30. The material 30 includes a deformed material 12 having hollow projections 14 and a surface layer 16 placed between the projections 14. The projections 14 are preferably conical in shape and have their outermost ends 18 truncated or with a dome. The projections 14 are preferably equally spaced in an equilateral triangular pattern, all extending from the same material side. The projections 14 are preferably separated from center to center at a distance of approximately two base diameters from the projections or closer, in order to minimize the volume of the valleys between the projections and, therefore, the amount of substance placed between them. Preferably, the projections 14 have heights that are smaller than their diameters, so that when they deform, they deform when reversed and / or crush substantially along an axis that is essentially perpendicular to a plane of the material. The shape of the projection and the way to deform By the projections, the projections 14 do not fold in a direction parallel to a plane of the material, so that the projections can not block the substances between them from coming into contact with the white surface. Figure 7 shows a white surface 90 that is smooth but can have a certain surface topography, and be separated from the substance layer 16 by the outermost ends 18 of the projections 14. The white surfaces according to the present invention will comprise typically an opposite portion of the support device. Figure 8 shows white surfaces 90 that come into contact with the substance layer 16 after the projections 14 have partially deformed under the pressure applied to the material side 12 that has no substance, as indicated by the force F. The more projections there are per unit area, the thinner the piece of material is and the projection walls can be ready to withstand a specific deformation force. The preferred substance layer 16 is preferably a pressure sensitive adhesive made of latex or a hot melt type adhesive, such as that available under the Fuller specification HL-2115X, made by HB Fuller Co . from P911 Vadnais Heights, MN. Any adhesive can be used as long as it meets the application needs of the material. The adhesives may be of resuscitation, resealing, permanent or other type. The size and spacing of the projections is preferably selected to provide a desired level of adhesion with a white surface, while also providing the optimum pattern of supports for selective activation. The film materials may be made from homogeneous resins or mixtures thereof. It is contemplated that in the film structure there are single layers or multiple layers, either co-extruded, extrusion coated, laminated or combined by any other known means. The key attribute of the film material is that it can be deformable to produce projections and valleys. Useful resins include polyethylene, polypropylene, PET, PVC, PVDC, latex structures, nylon, etc. Polyolefins are generally preferred because of their lower cost and ease of training. Other suitable materials include aluminum foil, coated paper (waxed, etc.) and uncoated, coated and uncoated nonwovens, canvases, meshes, fabrics, nonwovens and perforated or porous films and combinations thereof. The different applications of the feature P911 of support coupling will determine the ideal size and density of the projections, as well as the selection of the substances used with them. It is considered that the size, shape and separation of the projections, the properties of the canvas material such as bending modulus, rigidity of the material, thickness of the material, hardness, deflection temperature as well as the formation process, determine the resistance or projection strength. A "threshold" projection stiffness is required to prevent premature activation of the support coupling feature due to the weight of the overlying sheets layers or other forces, for example the forces induced by vibrations in transport, mishandling, falls and the similar. ~ The inversion of the projections minimizes the possibility of the projection returning to its initial state, so that a greater adhesion is not necessary in order to avoid the failure of relatively weak seals. A resilient projection could be used, for example, when the union is intended to be permanent, where the aggressive adhesive overcomes the force of returning to the initial state. Also, a resilient projection may be desirable when you intend to use the repeated use of materials. Figure 9 shows a preferred form of projections and valleys of support coupling characteristics for the present invention, which allows the projections to be substantially inverted and / or crushed as a mode of deformation. The preferred shape minimizes the envelope folding of the projection and interferes with the substance placed in the valleys between the projections or within the hollow projections, or both. Also, the preferred shape helps to ensure a predictable and repeatable resistance to deformation of the projection. Figure 9 shows that each projection is defined by a height dimension A and a base diameter dimension B. A preferred ratio between the base diameter B and the height A, which allows the projections to be reversed and / or substantially squeezed without winding it is at least 2: 1. Figure 10 shows a suitable method for making a material, for example with a support coupling feature 30, useful in accordance with the present invention and which is generally indicated with the number 180 in Figure 10. The first step comprises coating a screen or forming screen with a first surface. The screen or forming screen has an upper surface and a plurality of recesses therein. The coating step applies the first substance to the surface P911 upper without connecting the recesses. A second step includes introducing a piece of material having a first side and a second side, onto the screen or forming screen so that the first side is in contact with the first surface on the upper surface of the screen or forming screen. The first substance adheres preferably to the first side of the piece of material. A third step includes forming the piece of material to create a plurality of hollow projections extending from the first side towards the recesses of the screen or forming screen. The plurality of hollow projections are separated by valleys into which the first substance is transferred from the forming screen. The plurality of hollow projections are exactly in coincidence with the first surface by the use of a common transfer and forming surface. The first substance forms an interconnected layer in the valleys between the projections. The forming screen 181 is threaded onto the film guide pulley 182 and a vacuum driven roller 184. The forming screen 181 is preferably a strip of stainless steel having the desired pattern of projections etched in the form of recesses in the band. Covering the outer surface of the vacuum roll 184 is a seamless nickel screen that serves as a porous backing surface to form the screen 181. To produce a material containing pressure sensitive adhesive, a substance 186, preferably hot melt adhesive is coated onto the forming screen 181 by a substance applicator 188, while the forming screen 181 rotates past the applicator. • A sheet of material 190 is brought into contact with the substance-coated forming screen in the film guide roller 192 of material feed. The hot air is directed radially towards the material 190 by a source of hot air 194, as the material passes over the vacuum roller 184 and as the vacuum is applied to form the screen 181 through the vacuum roller 184, by a fixed vacuum distributor 196 from a vacuum source (not shown). A vacuum is applied as the material is heated by the source of hot air 194. A formed material 198 coated with substance is separated from the forming screen 181 on a separating roll 200. As the same forming screen is used to transfer the substance to the material that is used to form the projections, the pattern of the substance conveniently coincides with the projections. The 181 stainless steel screen is a band made with stitching. It is manufactured in several steps.

P911 The pattern of recesses is developed in a computer program and printed on a transparency to provide a photomask for the photomordentate. The photomask is used to create etched and non-etched areas. The etched material is typically stainless steel but can also be bronze, copper aluminum, magnesium and other materials, including alloys. Additionally, the pattern of recesses may be etched in the photosensitive polymer instead of metals. Suitable forming structures are described in greater detail in the aforementioned and incorporated patent applications of Hamilton et al. and McGuire et al. The materials of the above variety when used as support coupling features according to the present invention, can be formed unitary and constructed as part of the body of the flexible bag either before, during or after assembly of the bag to from its material components. Alternatively, these support coupling features can also be formed separately and attached to the body of the flexible bag either before, during or after bag assembly. This connection can be made in the direction of the edges or can be achieved as a lamination or bonding of the material in an easy way on an overlapping portion of the bag body, this lamination is P911 is particularly advantageous when it is desired to add additional thickness, rigidity and / or resilience to the region of the bag comprising the support coupling feature. The material used for the support coupling feature can be the same as or different from the materials used to form the bag body, either in dimensions or in composition. Figures 11 to 13 illustrate a typical scenario illustrating the advantages of the flexible bags of the present invention. Figure 11 illustrates a typical, durable, reusable container 50 suitable for use as a support device together with the flexible bags 10 of the present invention. The container 50 includes a container body 51 (which may be formed as a cylinder of circular, elliptical, square, rectangular or other desired cross section shape, and may have straight or tapered sides), a bottom 52 and an upper edge 53, a flange 54 and an interior 55. The container 50 can be of any desired material construction, for example wood, plastic metal, etc. Figure 12 illustrates a flexible bag of the configuration illustrated in Figure 1 installed as a container 50 durable and reusable with a replaceable or removable lining.

Flexible P911 is inserted into the interior 55 of the container 50, so that the open edge of the bag 28 is positioned substantially adjacent the upper edge 53 of the container. As is common practice, it is preferred to extend the upper edge of the bag laterally "outwardly beyond the upper edge 53 of the container and then downward, on the upper portion of the exterior of the container body, so that the upper edge is protected by the bag body The support coupling feature 30 is on the outside of the bag, as illustrated in Figure 1, so that it can be activated to attach the upper portion of the flexible bag to the surface of the container so as to hold the mouth of the bag in a fixed relationship with the upper edge of the container The activation of the support coupling feature can be obtained simply by compressing or pinching the support coupling feature against the desired white surface, typically a surface of the container, to activate the adhesive properties described therein. The coupling of the support coupling can be secured to the inner surface of the upper edge of the container, or it can even be secured to the upper edge, or the flange 54 of the container, if desired. When the support device P911 comprising simply projection arms or hoops, the support coupling feature can be activated to adhere to these structures or can be activated to adhere the feature to another portion of the flexible bag, so as to form a collar of bag material to capture the hoop or the projecting arms within it. The use of a support coupling feature according to the present invention thus retains securely the mouth of the flexible bag in the desired open condition and in the desired orientation relative to a support device. Another advantage with this approach is that the air and / or free space can be released between the outer surface of the flexible bag and the inner surface of the support device when the initially empty flexible bag is inserted into a durable, rigid container or semi-rigid, typically closed in most of its size, and which is large, and frictionally or tightly coupling the container ring by folding or stretching the material of the bag. With conventional means to retain a flexible bag, this situation frequently limits the ability to fully utilize the potential volume of the flexible bag since trapped air prevents the bag from becoming P911 expand to reach the inner volume of the durable container. According to the present invention, the bag can loosely fit in the mouth of the container instead of frictionally and tightly engaging it. When the support coupling feature completely surrounds the periphery of the mouth of the bag, any degree of activation close to full activation (such as the mere compression of a few selected peripheral locations) will allow air to pass through one or more passages. entrapped escape as the addition of the contents of the interior of the bag expands the volume of the bag to reach the volume of the supporting device / container. The support coupling characteristics such as those of Figures 2 to 4, which are placed only in intermittent circumferential locations, will automatically provide this desirable benefit. While the container 50 has been used to represent what may be the most common anticipated use scenario, it is recognized that there may be a wide variety of support devices that can be used in conjunction with the flexible bags of the present invention. For example, the support device may comprise a ring of material suitable for supporting the mouth of the flexible bag, instead of a durable, semi-closed container, P911 three-dimensional of conventional type. Alternatively, the support device may comprise one or more arm-like structures (which may comprise portions or segments of a ring) similarly, suitable for holding the mouth, of the bag in an open condition. The support coupling feature of the present invention may also be used in conjunction with a wall, a counter or any other surface or structure to hold the mouth of the bag in an open or at least semi-open condition for use. When it is desired to remove the flexible bag from the support device and effect the closure, all that is required is simply to separate the support coupling feature from its white surface and lift the free bag. bag can be achieved by simply gathering the upper edge 28 as shown in Figure 13 (region 60) which causes the support coupling feature to engage the overlapping portions of the bag body to secure the bag in a closed configuration with the open edge. Alternatively, other more conventional means of closing, for example tie-downs or secure, may be used, like other means to tie the bag material likewise forming a knot.

P911 The materials of the above description can also be employed on the inner surfaces of the flexible bag to provide an inner closure means 40 (as shown in Figure 1). Accordingly, the material described above will provide adhesion of the inner surfaces of the bag body adjacent the upper edge 28 to provide a secure seal. The use of these materials as closures in flexible bags is described in greater detail in U.S. Patent Application Serial No. [], commonly assigned and filed concurrently therewith, Attorney Reference No. Case No. 6618, filed on May 9, 1997 in the name of Hamilton et al., an exhibition of which is incorporated herein by reference. Having described the particular embodiments of the present invention and illustrated them it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, it is intended to cover all those changes and modifications within the scope of the invention in the appended claims.

P911

Claims (10)

1. CLAIMS: 1. A flexible bag comprising at least one sheet of flexible sheet material assembled to form a semi-closed container, having an inner surface, an outer surface, an opening having a peripheral edge and a coupling feature. of support located on the outer surface, characterized in that the support coupling feature comprises a piece of material having a first side facing outwardly from the outer surface and a second side oriented inward toward the inner surface, the first side exhibiting a adhesion separation force after activation by the user, which is higher than the adhesion separation force exhibited before activation by the user. The flexible bag according to claim 1, further characterized in that the bag includes a closing means for sealing the opening in order to convert the semi-closed container into a closed container, the opening having a periphery, characterized in that the closing means it comprises a piece of material forming at least a portion of the periphery, the piece of material has a first side facing inward towards the opening and a second side facing outwardly from the opening, the first side exhibiting a separation force of
2. P911 adhesion after activation by the user, which is greater than the adhesion separation force exhibited before activation by the user.
3. 3. The flexible bag according to claim 1 or 2, further characterized in that the support coupling feature comprises a band of comparatively narrow material, the support coupling feature at least partially surrounding the peripheral edge.
4. 4. The flexible bag according to any of claims 1 to 3, further characterized in that the support coupling feature comprises a plurality of strips oriented in an essentially normal or substantially parallel direction to the peripheral edge.
5. The flexible bag according to any of claims 1 to 4, further characterized in that the support coupling feature is activatable by an externally applied force exerted on the piece of material, the support coupling characteristic is preferably activatable by a force of compression applied externally.
6. 6. The flexible bag according to any of claims 1 to 5, further characterized in that the support coupling feature is exempt from

   P911 a bonding feature and exhibits no adhesion separation force prior to activation by the user.
7. 7. The flexible bag according to any of claims 1 to 6, further characterized in that the support coupling feature contains a three-dimensional sheet material that is convertible to an essentially two-dimensional sheet material when the user activates it to expose an adhesive layer to the adhesive. contact with a complementary surface of a support structure.
8. The flexible bag according to any of claims 1 to 7, further characterized in that the sheet material comprises a polymeric film material.
9. 9. The flexible bag according to any of claims 1 to 8, further characterized in that the support coupling feature comprises a closure means. The flexible bag according to any of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the support coupling feature includes a pressure sensitive adhesive.

   P911 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a flexible bag (10) comprising at least one sheet of flexible sheet material assembled to form a semi-closed container having an inner surface, • an outer surface, an opening having a peripheral edge (28) and a support coupling feature (30) positioned on the outer surface and at least partially surrounding the peripheral edge.The support coupling feature comprises a strip of material having a first side oriented outwardly from the outer surface and a second side oriented inward towards the inner surface The first side exhibits an adhesion separation force after its activation by the user, that force is greater than an adhesion separation force exhibited before activation by the user. The support coupling feature surrounds at least partially and preferably completely the circumference of the peripheral edge. The support coupling feature can be selectively activated and also preferably functions as a closure means (40) for securing the opening of the flexible bag in a substantially closed condition when the bag material gathers around the opening,

   P911 thus providing easy sealing capability without the need for additional closure features or separate elements. An additional closure means may be provided using selectable activation materials to be used as a support coupling feature located on the inner surface of the peripheral edge of the bag. The support coupling features of the present invention provide a flexible bag that is capable of reliably coupling a support device, so that it can be supported in an open condition for purposes of filling the bag. This feature also reduces the likelihood of trapped air and / or free space when the bag is used with a rigid or semi-rigid container of durable type.