Flexible bags – Plural
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-29
2001-03-06
Pascua, Jes F. (Department: 3727)
Flexible bags
Plural
C383S008000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06196717
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to the field of thermoplastic bags. More particularly, it concerns thermoplastic handle bags having a T-shirt configuration.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
For many years, thermoplastic bags have been widely used for a number of household and industrial purposes. Many bags have a simple rectangular structure comprising two layers of thermoplastic film heat sealed at the bag bottom, folded sides and an open top. This simple structure has been adapted to form a wide variety of sizes and configurations that vary with the intended uses of the bags.
In recent years, bag manufacturers have developed new types of thermoplastic bags such as, for example, draw tape bags, handle bags, and bags with protruding top edges. These different bag types provide the user with different advantages such as being able to easily close, tie and/or identify a bag. However, the easy to open, use and close handle bags have traditionally required expensive and complicated manufacturing procedures. Furthermore, handle bag manufacturers have experienced cost reduction pressure from other products and, as a result of their cost reduction efforts, new product configurations have been developed. These new handle bag configurations have decreased the manufacturing costs of the product but have also made the resulting bags more difficult to open and use.
For example, one existing low cost handle bag configuration is produced by starting with a thin thermoplastic film tube that is transversely heat sealed to form individual bags. The edges of tube are then longitudinally folded inward so that the edges are adjacent to the middle of the bag. The tube is then folded again about its middle thereby forming four overlapped bag sections comprising eight layers of thermoplastic material. A corner of the bag is then removed to form the handles and bag mouth. Such a manufacturing process is described and illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,790,467.
However, the above described manufacturing process makes the resulting handle bag difficult and time consuming to use. A user must unfold the second middle fold and then the first quarter folds in sequence before being able to open the bag.
Consequently, these deficiencies have created a need for an inexpensive and efficient method of manufacturing handle bags that are easy to open, use and close.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a low cost method of forming handle bags that are easy and less time consuming to open, use and close.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a handle bag that is easy to open, use and close.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method that involves less folding than prior methods to form a handle bag.
These and other objects of the invention are provided by a method of forming a plurality of easy to open handle bags including the steps of providing a flattened tube of thermoplastic material oriented in a generally longitudinal direction. The flattened tube has a first longitudinal side edge and a second longitudinal side edge, a transverse lower heat seal, and a transverse upper heat seal. The tube also has first, second, and third sections. The second section being disposed between the first and third sections. The first section is joined to the second section along a generally longitudinal first fold line. The second section is joined to the third section along a generally longitudinal second fold line. The second section is cut along a generally transverse first cut line extending between the first and second fold lines. The first section is folded over the second section along the first fold line. The third section is folded over the previously folded-over first section along the second fold line such that the first, second, and third sections overlap one another. The overlapped first, second, and third sections are cut along a generally longitudinal second cut line that intersects the first cut line, the first fold line, and the second side edge at one end and intersects the upper heat seal at the other end. The overlapped first, second, and third sections are then cut along a generally longitudinal third cut line that intersects the first cut line, the second fold line, and the first side edge at one end and intersects the upper heat seal at the other end.
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patent:
Belias William P.
Maddock Robert T.
Jenkens & Gilchrist
Pactiv Corporation
Pascua Jes F.
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