Manufacturing container or tube from paper; or other manufacturi – Container making – Pliable container
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-27
2001-05-22
Vo, Peter (Department: 3721)
Manufacturing container or tube from paper; or other manufacturi
Container making
Pliable container
C493S231000, C493S264000, C493S344000, C493S379000, C156S270000, C156S297000, C206S204000, C206S594000, C383S109000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06234944
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
The present invention relates broadly to the securement of a pad to the inside of a bag. Preferably, the pad is an absorbent pad used in food storage bags for poultry and is commonly referred to as a “soaker pad”; however, the present invention is further applicable to the securement of any other type of pad within any type of bag such as, for example, a pad having disinfectants secured to the inside of storage bag for medical equipment; a pad having antimicrobial agents secured to the inside of a food storage bag; a pad having moisturizing agents secured to the inside of a storage bag for tobacco products; or a pad having desiccants secured to the inside of a storage bag for electronic components.
BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
With particular regard to food storage bags, it is well know in the art of plastic bag manufacturing to include an absorbent pad within the bag for absorbing any fluids that may emanate from the food. This is especially the case when the food is beef or poultry, which exudes blood and other fluids that may be unsightly or that may include bacteria or otherwise pose a health risk.
Traditionally, soaker pads have simply been heat welded to one or more walls of material forming the bag. A recent improvement to the art of securing soaker pads to bags is found in Yeager U.S. Pat. No. 5,660,868 (the '868 Patent). In particular, an enclosure containing a soaker pad is provided in the bottom of the storage bag in the '868 Patent. The enclosure is formed by sealing a perforated film about its perimeter to the front and rear panels of the bag whereby fluid must pass through the perforated film to reach the soaker pad disposed in the enclosed space. The defining of the enclosed space by the perforated film is important, as not only does the soaker pad serve to retain fluids, but the enclosed space itself acts a fluid sump or reservoir. Improvements to the bag of the '868 Patent are also found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,845,769 and 5,839,572, both to Yeager.
While the storage bag disclosed by the '868 Patent, and further improvements thereto, have been well received by food packagers, a need remains for a simpler and more efficient method of securing an absorbent pad within a storage bag, especially when a fluid sump or reservoir is not desired and the materials therefor present an unnecessary cost.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
Briefly described, the present invention relates to the securement of a pad to a bag. A method of the present invention includes the steps of: placing the pad adjacent the bag material; placing one or more strips of a material across the pad with an intermediate portion of each strip extending over the pad and with two opposed portions of each strip extending on opposite respective sides of the intermediate portion beyond the pad; and, affixing the two opposed portions of each strip of material to the bag material to thereby secure the pad to the bag material. Preferably, the bag and each strip are formed from a thermoplastic material and the affixing of the strip to the bag material is by conventional heat sealing. Alternatively, the strips preferably include an adhesive for adherence to the bag material.
The bag of the present invention includes a pad secured to the inside bottom thereof. The bag itself is preferably formed from a thermoplastic film and the pad is disposed adjacent the bag material at or near the bottom with one or more strips of material extending across the pad, with each strip having an intermediate portion extending over the pad and two opposed portions each affixed on opposite sides of the intermediate portion to the bag material. If a single strip is used to secure the pad, the single strip has a sufficiently narrow width that the pad extends beyond the strip on opposite sides of the intermediate portion. If two strips are used to secure the pad, each strip is disposed at a spacing to the other in extending over the pad. Thus, in either case, at least part of the pad remains exposed and uncovered by the strips of material.
In a feature of the present invention, opposed portions of a strip of material are affixed to the bag material at spacings sufficiently close to the pad to at least slightly compress the pad and bag material together.
In another feature of the present invention, a strip of material completely covers over a side edge of the pad.
In yet another feature, substantially the entire opposed portions of a strip of material are heat sealed to the bag material.
In another feature, the intermediate portion of the strip of material is heat sealed to the pad; alternatively, the intermediate portion of the strip of material is not heat sealed to the pad. In either case, however, the intermediate portion of the strip is not heat sealed to the bag material.
The present invention also relates to a method of making a bag which itself includes the aforesaid method of securing the pad to the bag material. In the bag making method, the further step is performed of folding the bag material and pad along a common fold line to form a bottom of the bag. Preferably, the fold line extends parallel to a strip of material.
The present invention also relates to the inline method of securing absorbent pads to a web of material used to make bags based upon the aforesaid basic method of securing a pad to a bag material. The inline process is used in mass-producing bags of the present invention.
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Anderson Richard Floyd
Bullock Michael A.
Desai Hemant M.
Kennedy Covington Lobdell & Hickman LLP
Vo Peter
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