Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Title: PAC-~AGi~G SYSTEM FOR 2L~S.IC ~AGS
¦ Inventor: E. Riley Rowe
BAC'.~G~OUND OF THE INVENTION
¦ Conventional thermoplastic bags for~ed of thin high
st_ensth plastic film come in many configurations and are
, usually provided in pac~s for the selective dispensing of
¦ individual bags at store chéc~out counters, adjacont produce
¦ bins, and in other environs whereat goods are to be loaded.
¦ The bags will nor~ally be pac~aged in rolls or flat
¦ stac~s with the bags in each instance being releasably joined
for tP.e selective severance of single bags at the time of use.
¦ The roll is considered a particularly advantageous form of bag
¦ pac~age for several reasons, including the accommodation of
¦ large number of bags in a compact pac~age, the provision of a
¦ pac~age which is easily stored and handled, and the provision
¦ of a pac~age from which the individual bags can be conveniently
¦ and expeditiously removed for use. It is also significant that
¦ a roll pac~age can be conveniently produced by merely rolling
¦ bags as they are formed along a continuous length of material.
¦ The ther~oplastic film bags themselves come in several
forms, the two most popular forms comprising bags with plain or
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flat tops, frequently found at produce counters for the
packaging and weighing of individual fruits, vegetables and the
like; and T-shir~ or handle bags, normally found at checXout
counters for the accommodation of a variety of goods for
subsequent transport from the store.
While the plain top bags conventionally come in rolls,
and normally merely mount on spindles at the point of use, it
has been the more common practice to supply the T-shirt or
handle bags in flat bag packs wherein the bags are releasably
welded together at central tabs integrally formed along the bag
mouths bet-~een the side handles. The prior art has many
examples of such bags, two of which will be noted in the
Kuklies et al, 4,I65,832, and Pilon, 4,529,090, wherein the
cantral tabs not only provide means for the securement of the
bags to each other, but also incorporate apertures for the
mounting of the bag pack itself on a distribution racX or the
liXe.
Although the flat bag pacX has been found to be an
ade~uate means for supplying T-shirt bags, the provision of
such bags in rolls would be preferred both for the reasons set
forth previously, and in light of the elimination of the
multiple steps involved in forming the tabs with apertures
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therein, ssac~ing the baqs and securing the bags, normally by a ¦
heat sealing of the tabs to each other. Also, providing such
bags in rolls would be a logical following step in the
seguential forming of such bags from continuous tubular lengths
of thermoplastic film.
However, practical difficulties arise when T-shirt
bags are packaged in a roll, particularly wherein, for an
effective dispensing of t~e bags with the closed ends of the
bags outermost, it is necessary that the bags be rolled with
the top or handle end of the bag fed forwardly into the roll.
For e~ample, in following what appears to be a simple
procedure of forming severably joined T-shirt bags from a
continuous tubular film, a significant problem arises in that
as the tubular film moves in a longitudinal direction toward
the receiving roll, air enters into the leading mouths of the
bags causing a ballooning or out~ard billowing of the bag
sheets. This in turn causes a significant disruption in the
smooth longitudinal extent of the continuous strip of bags as
well as considerable wrinkling of the bag sheets as the bags
are compressed at the point of rolling and the air forced
therefrom. As can be appreciated, the air inflation and
pressure deflation of the bags could also result in weakening
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i or damaging of the individual bags or the ,oinders
ther2bet~een. While it is conceivable this problem could be
avoided by rolling the bags with the closed bottom ends thereof
¦ leading onto the roll, this would not be a satisfactory
¦ solut~on for situations wherein the bags are manually separated
. in light of the awkward manipulation of the bags which would be
re~ui-ed.
In light of the foregoing, while the desirability of
¦ rolled packages has been known, the adaptability of such rolled
¦ packases to handle or T-shirt bags with the open mouths of the
¦ bags directed toward the roll during formation of the package
¦ has not heretofore resulted in a particularly acceptable
¦ package.
¦ SUMMARY OF THE I~VENTION
I "
. The present invention is specifically concerned with a
i means and method whereby T-shirt bags can be efficiently formed
1 in a continuous strip of severable bags and forwardly moved as
a continuous strip to and into a bag pacXage, preferably a bag
roll with the handle ends of the bags for~ardly introduced into
the package or roll. In forming such a package, one object of
.. the invention is to eliminate the multiple steps heretofore
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requi_ed in packaging T-snirt bags in stacks, including the
necessity for defining mounting tabs with mounting apertures
therethrough and severance lines between the tabs and the bag
sheets, and the provision of means welding or othe~ise
securing the tabs to each other as the primary source of bag
retention within ~he formed pac~. It is also a significant
objec_ of the inventlon to eliminate the rather disruptive
effects of ballooning or billowing of continuous strip bags and
to thereby provide a package which is compact, attractive and
retains the bags for dispensing without wrinkles, wall
distortions, etc. as might interfere with use of the individual
bags.
Basically, the system of the present invention requires
only a modification of the mouth and handle forming die cutter
to provide elongate central lips along the leading edges of the
two sheets which define each bag mouth. These lips are
integral forward extensions of the bag sheets and do not
constitute mounting tabs, requiring no perforations, severance
lines, heat welding or the like.
The sole function of the narrow elongate lips is to
jointly flop over to one or the other sheet-defined faces of
the bag to effectively close the mouth of the bag and preclude
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the en~ of air thereto and any corresponding ballooning or
outward billowing of the bag walls or side sheets; Thus, the
bags retain their basic planar configuration throughout the
length of forward feeding thereof both during the formation of
the strip-joined individual bags and during the pac~aging
thereof, nor~ally into a roll of continuously joined bags.
3ecause of the ext_emely thin naturé of the film used, the
folded-over lips will cause no noticPable sur~acs disruption in
the roll and will in no way interfer with the compact rolling
of bass on each other.
In this manner the invention uni~uely combines the most
practical bag configuration with the most practical pac~aging
system to provide a particularly acceptable package.
Additional objec's and advantages of the invention may
become apparent from the details of structure and construction
more fully hereinafter described and claimed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is an illustration of roll packaging of plain-
top bags;
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Figure 2 is a perspec~ive illust at~on of forwardlymoving strip-joined T-shir_ bags with a st.aight mouth and the
resultant ballooning ar sing theref-om;
Figure 3 is a perspective illust_ation of forwardly
moving strip-joined T-shirt bags formed in accord with the
¦ present invention; and
IFigure 4 is a schematic illustration of the formation
and rolling of bags in accord with the present invention.
DESCRIP~ION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now more specifically to the drawings, Figure
1 illustrates a strip 10 and and roll 12 of severable bags 14
of the most basic type normally packaged in rolls. In defining
the bags 14, the strip 10 is provided with transverse seal
lines 16 and, adjacent thereto, transverse severance lines 18.
The seal lines weld the two sheets of the tubular film together
to form a bag bottom. The severance lines 18 are provided
Ithrough both of the sheets to define the open mouth of the bag
i¦ upon severance from the strip. Inasmuch as the bag mouths are
closed until such time as the individual bags 14 are severed
from the strip 10 immediately prior to use, the strip, moving
Ln the dire ion o~ arrow ~O, aan be conveniently rolled into
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the roll pac.~age ;2 at high speed and with no bag distortion.
Such bags are mos' frequently found at produca counters for the~
separate pac~aSing of produce.
~ s a roll package constltutes the most efficlent and
convenient pac~age for film bags, attempts have made to
similarly pac.~age T-shirt or handle bags. However, substantial
probiems arise in connec ion with the provislon such rolls
whe_~in the bags ara continuously fed into the roll with the
handles and open mouth for~ardmost. Figure 2 schematically
illust-ates a strip 22 of T-shirt bags 24 being fed in a
forwa_ direction, indicated by ar-ow 26, toward a packaging
roll 28 or the llke.
In the proposed packaging system of Figure 2 wherein
the bags are to be retained in st_ip for~ until severed for
individual use, the handles or T-shirt configuration are
defined by a basic U-shaped cutout 30 forming a pair of
late~ally spaced forwardly extending handles 32 with a
transverse straight-edge bag mouth 34 between the inner ends of
the formed handles 32, all as illustrated in the rearmost
complete bag in the strip 22 of Figure 2.
However, when for~ed in the above described manner, it
was round at upon a ror;ard reeding Or t~e strip Or bags wit`
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der ned bag handles and ~outh, the individual open-mouth bags
would 'ill with air, causing an outward billowing or ballooning
of the bags, as suggested at 36 in the forwardmost complete bag I
in Figure 2. This unexpected result seriously affected the
s~ooth continuous conveying of the strip-joined bags,
partic~larly in situations wherein elongate strips are involved ¦
with ~ultiple bags individually ballooning therealong. This
ballocning also had a particularly det imental effect on
attempts to for~ a compact package of the strip bags because of
the misorientation, wrinkling and distortion of the overlying
sheets as the strip moved into a package configuration,
preferably a roll although also conceivably a fan-folded stack
of the continuous st~ip bags.
While it is appreciated the problem could be eliminated
by forwardly feeding the bags onto the roll with the closed
bottoms of the bags for~ardmost, this would result in
unnecessary difficulties and cumbersome manipulation of the
bags as they are severed from the roll and mounted on a support
rack for loading. With such an orientation, the individual
bags would have to be severed by gripping the bottom of the
leading bag, severing it from the next adjacent bag, and then
inverting th bag for opening and mounting. Accordingly, in
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order for the bag pac.~ Io be a ~rac'_cal sukst_tute for
conventional stac~ed bag pac~s in a commercial operation such
as the chec~out counter of a grocery store, it is essential
t~at the bags are wit~drawn from the pac~age or roll with the
bottom edge first whereby the chec~er can grasp the leading bag
at the handle end immediately adjacent the line of severance,
apply direc_ pressure t~eret~, severing the handles from the
following bag, and immediately and di-ectly mount the handles
to a support rac~ for bag loading.
The present invention propcses a particularly uni~ue
solution to the problem of bag ballooning. Noting Figure 3,
the handle bags 38 of the bag strip 40 have modified U-shaped
cutouts 42 forming the laterally opposed pairs of handles 44,
and also for~ing transverse bag mouths 46 which include central
forwardly extending elongate overlying pairs of lips 48 on the
overlying sheets which define the individual bags. These lips
48, noting the forwardmost complete bag in the direction of
travel 50, will, as a pair and upon encountering a relative air
flow resulting from the rapid forward movement of the strip 40
of bags 38, curl rearwardly into overlying relationship onto
one or the other of the sheets defining the individual bags.
This in turn results in an effective sealing of the mouth of
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the bag against air .low thereinto. Simuitaneously, the
overlying lips will tend to compress the sheets together,
further precluding air ent-~ and effectively avoiding the
proble~ of bag billowing or ballooning. In the absence of any
i such disorientation of the bags 38 of the strip 40, the
resultant roll or pac~age 52 will be compact, smooth,
presentable in appearance, and in eve~ manner an acceptable
pac.~age.
The extremely thin nature of the film material used in
forming the bag will enable a folding of the lips to close the
bag mouths without causing any discernable bump or disruption
in the surface of the roll, even in rolls accommodating several
hundred bags as contemplated. As a practical matter, inasmuch
as the handle bags will normally incorporate full height side
gussets, providing ext~a folds of material along the full
longitudinal edges of the strip, the central folded lips,
¦ assuming they remain folded as the bag enters the roll, will
¦ not even be noted in the roll pacXage between the slightly
¦ firmer edges thereof defined by the gusset folds.
¦ The lips 48 are to be of a substantial length relative
to the transverse length of the bag mouth, for example two-
thirds or re of the transverse length of the routh and
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cent_~lly iocated therealong. The height of the lips 48 need
only be such as to insure a proper folding or flapping over of
the lips as a pair to one side or the other of the bag mouth.
A height or 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch has been found to be effective
for a wide range of bag sizes.
Figure 4 schematically illustrates the sequence of
st_ps in the bag pac~age for~ing system of the invention.
Basically, a continuous tubular length 54 of plastic film is
supplied and defines a pair of edge-joined overlying sheets
which are fo~ardly fed through appropriate apparatus which
initially seals the overlying sheets together along closely
adjacent transverse seal lines 56 with a line of severance 58,
for example per~orations, extending centrally between and
parallel to the lines 56. The seal lines 56, for example
for~ed by a heat sealing of the thermoplastic material of the
bag strip, define respectively the closed bottom of a forward
bag and the closed top of a following bag in the pac~aging
direction 60. At another station, appropriate die cutting
apparatus 62 forms, in a single cut, the cutout 64 which
simultaneously defines the laterally opposed handles 66 and the
transverse bag mouth with the forwardly projecting mouth lips
68. As will be recognized, the cutout 64 extends rearwardly
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,I f_em the fo~ard severance line ~8 whereby a severance of a bag
from the st~ip requires only a severing of the outer ends of
the for~ed handles 66.
~ s the strip of bags moves toward the pacXaging roll
70, possibly driven by appropriate motor means 72 and
constituting the means forwardly drawing the strip during the
formative stages thereof, t~e lips 6a will flap or fold to one
. side of the associated bags, effectively closing the mouths
thereof and precluding the ent~y of air and the disruptive
ballooning of the bags. Each pair of lips 68 will, because of
the nature of the material and the opposed free ends thereof,
always fold as a pair to a single side of the bag. The final
I result is a completely acceptable pacXage of severably joined
¦ T-shirt or handle bags which is readily mountable in any
conventional manner for proper dispensing of the individual
bags both expeditiously and conveniently as required at
¦ checXout counters and the liXe where convenience and speed is
¦ desired if not essential.
¦ It is to be appreciated that while the height of the
¦ lips is sufficient to close the bag mouths, the lips do not
¦ interfer with the opening of the mouths of the individual bags
¦ for loading purposes, and similarly do not interfere with
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eit~er the int-oduc_ion of goods thereto or the removal of
i goods theref m.
