Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
TAMPER-EVIDENT INSULATED BAG
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to insulated bags used to
transport food.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0002] The written disclosure herein describes illustrative embodiments that
are non-limiting
and non-exhaustive. Reference is made to certain of such illustrative
embodiments that are
depicted in the figures, as listed below.
[0003] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a closed and folded
tamper evident
insulated bag.
[0004] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the bag of FIG. 1 with the edges
disconnected and the bag
shown in an extended position.
[0005] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the bag of FIG. 1 taking along
cutting line 3-3 of FIG.
1.
[0006] FIG. 4A is perspective view of the bag of FIG. 1 in an open and
standing position, prior
to an item being placed therein.
[0007] FIG. 4B is perspective view of the bag of FIG. 4A in a closed and
standing position, after
having an item placed inside the bag and the bag being sealed.
[0008] FIG. 4C is a perspective view of the bag of FIG. 4B with the tamper
evident seal
removed via tearing at the score line. The tamper evident seal is shown
upwardly offset from the
rest of the bag.
[0009] FIG. 4D is a perspective view of the bag of FIG. 4C open such that the
item placed
inside the bag may be readily removed.
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CA 3075787 2020-03-13
[0010] FIG. 5A is an enlarged view of the section encircled at 5A of FIG. 3 in
an embodiment,
illustrating the material of the bag in cross-section.
[0011] FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view of an additional embodiment of an
insulated tamper
evident bag, similar to the view shown in FIG. 5A.
[0012] FIG. 5C is a cross-sectional view of a further embodiment of an
insulated tamper evident
bag, similar to the view shown in FIG. 5A.
[0013] FIG. 5D is a cross-sectional view of a yet further embodiment of an
insulated tamper
evident bag, similar to the view shown in FIG. 5A.
[0014] FIG. 5E is a cross-sectional view of a still further embodiment of an
insulated tamper
evident bag, similar to the view shown in FIG. 5A.
[0015] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an additional embodiment of an
insulated tamper evident
bag.
[0016] FIG. 7A is an enlarged view of the section encircled at 7A of the bag
of FIG. 6,
illustrating a C-shaped vent in the closed position.
[0017] FIG. 7B is an enlarged view of the section encircled at 7A of the bag
of FIG. 6,
illustrating a C-shaped vent in the open position.
[0018] FIG. 8 a perspective view of an additional embodiment of an insulated
tamper evident
bag.
[0019] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the bag of FIG. 8 with the edges
disconnected and the bag
shown in an extended position.
[0020] FIG. 10 is an additional perspective view of the bag of FIG. 8.
[0021] FIG. 11A is a cross-sectional view of the bag of FIG. 10 taking along
cutting line 11-11
of FIG. 10, showing the handle and vents coextensive with the bag.
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[0022] FIG. 11B is a cross-sectional view of the bag of FIG. 10 taking along
cutting line 11-11
of FIG. 10, showing the bottom of the handle and vents pushed out slightly
from the bag.
[0023] FIG. 12A is a perspective view of an embodiment of a closed tamper-
evident insulated
bag in a flat, generally planar position.
[0024] FIG. 12B is a perspective view of the bag of FIG. 12A in a standing
position, with the
bag bottom extended and front and back walls substantially perpendicular to
the bag bottom, and
with the top end of the bag open with the inner portion of the bag readily
accessible, prior to a
first item being placed therein.
[0025] FIG. 12C is a perspective view of the bag of FIG. 12B, with the top end
of the bag closed
and the front and back walls sealed via a first adhesive.
[0026] FIG. 12D is a perspective view of the bag of FIG. 12C, with the tamper-
evident seal
removed via tearing at the score line. The tamper evident seal is shown
upwardly offset from the
rest of the bag.
[0027] FIG. 12E is a perspective view of the bag of FIG. 12D, with the tamper-
evident seal
completely removed from the bag and the inner portion of the bag readily
accessible such that
the first item placed inside the bag may be readily removed.
[0028] FIG. 12F is a perspective view of the bag of FIG. 12E with the top open
and the inner
portion of the bag accessible to hold a second item placed therein.
[0029] FIG. 12G is a perspective view of the bag of FIG. 12F containing a
second item and with
the top closed via a second adhesive.
[0030] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a tamper-evident
insulated bag
having a viewing window.
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CA 3075787 2020-03-13
[0031] FIG. 14 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a tamper-evident
insulated bag
having gussets.
[0032] It should be noted that these figures are intended to illustrate the
general characteristics
of methods, structure and/or materials utilized in certain exemplary
embodiments and to
supplement the written description provided below. These drawings are not,
however, to scale
and may not precisely reflect the precise structural or performance
characteristics of any given
embodiment, and should not be interpreted as defining or limiting the range of
values or
properties encompassed by exemplary embodiments. For example, the relative
thicknesses and
positioning of components may be reduced or exaggerated for clarity. The use
of similar or
identical reference numbers in the various drawings is intended to indicate
the presence of a
similar or identical element or feature.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
[0033] The inventive concepts will now be described more fully hereinafter
with reference to
the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments of the inventive
concepts are
shown. The advantages and features of the inventive concepts and methods of
achieving them
will be apparent from the following exemplary embodiments that will be
described in more detail
with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted, however, that
the inventive
concepts are not limited to the following exemplary embodiments, and may be
implemented in
various forms. Accordingly, the exemplary embodiments are provided only to
disclose the
inventive concepts and let those skilled in the art know the category of the
inventive concepts. In
the drawings, embodiments of the inventive concepts are not limited to the
specific examples
4
CA 3075787 2020-03-13
provided herein and may be exaggerated for clarity. The same reference
numerals or the same
= reference designators denote the same elements throughout the
specification.
[0034] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular
embodiments
only and is not intended to limit the invention. As used herein, the singular
terms "a," "an" and
"the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context
clearly indicates
otherwise. As used herein, the term "and/or" includes any and all combinations
of one or more
of the associated listed items. It will be further understood that the terms
"comprises,"
"comprising," "includes," and/or "including", when used herein, specify the
presence of stated
features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not
preclude the
presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps,
operations, elements,
components, and/or groups thereof
[0035] Moreover, exemplary embodiments are described herein with reference to
cross-
sectional views, perspective views, and/or top or plan views that are
idealized exemplary views.
In the drawings, the thicknesses of some features may be exaggerated for
clarity. Accordingly,
variations from the shapes of the illustrations as a result, for example, of
manufacturing
techniques and/or tolerances, are to be expected. Thus, exemplary embodiments
should not be
construed as limited to the shapes of regions illustrated herein but are to
include deviations in
shapes that result, for example, from manufacturing. For example, a viewing
window may be
illustrated with sharp corners and without rounded or curved features even
though such rounded
or curved features may be preferable. Thus, the regions or elements
illustrated in the figures are
schematic in nature and their shapes may not necessarily illustrate the actual
shape of a region or
an element of a bag, and are not intended to limit the scope of example
embodiments.
CA 3075787 2020-03-13
[0036] The embodiments of tamper-evident insulated bags disclosed herein
relate to bags that
may be used, for example, in the food industry. In particular, certain
embodiments disclosed
herein relate to insulated bags having a tamper-evident closure that may be
used for storing
and/or transporting hot or cold foods while maintaining their initial
temperatures.
[0037] Insulated bags can be used by the restaurant industry for packaging one
or more
containers of food, such as take-out items or orders for delivery, while
maintaining the
temperature of the food. Such insulated bags may be used, for example, to
transport hot or cold
foods from a restaurant to a customer at a different location, ensuring that
the food is delivered at
or near the same temperature that it left the restaurant. The restaurant
and/or customer may also
desire knowledge that the food has not been altered or damaged during its
transport. It would
therefore be advantageous to have an insulated bag that has a tamper-evident
closure for
transporting food. As used herein, the terms "food" and "foods" includes
beverages.
[0038] The bags disclosed herein contain a tamper-evident closure formed with
a permanent
adhesive that adheres the inner front wall of the bag to the inner back wall
of the bag with such a
high adhesion value that the inner front and back walls cannot realistically
be separated without
the material of the front and/or back wall tearing apart. That is, the
substrates that are adhered
together by the adhesive will mechanically fail before the adhesive fails. In
this regard, the
adhesive is considered to make an essentially irreversible seal between the
portions of the bag to
which it is applied, which are generally the front and back walls of the bag.
[0039] After sealing the bag in such an essentially irreversible manner, it
cannot be opened
without incurring substantial damage to the bag. An end user of the bag who
wishes to access
the bag contents after sealing, can either attempt to force the adhered bag
walls apart (resulting in
a bag with torn walls), or can remove the adhesive from the top of the bag by
tearing along the
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CA 3075787 2020-03-13
score line (resulting in a bag with the top portion removed). Regardless of
the manner in which
the bag has been opened, it will be evident to the end user by simply viewing
the bag, whether
any tampering with the bag may have occurred since it was sealed.
[0040] Embodiments of the disclosed bags advantageously provide insulated food
packaging
that can incorporate biodegradable and/or compostable materials. The insulated
bags also
advantageously have a tamper-evident feature that is integral with the bag.
Certain embodiments
advantageously provide user friendly bags capable of maintaining hot or cold
temperatures, that
provide consumers with easy access to the products within the bags, and that
have a dependable
anti-tampering alert mechanism. Further details of embodiments of the
disclosed bags are
provided below.
[0041] Certain embodiments of the insulated bags having a tamper-evident
closure disclosed
herein can advantageously be supplied to an initial user in an open, flattened
preloaded
configuration (e.g., FIG. 12A). The initial user can unfold the bag into an
open standing
configuration (e.g., FIG. 12B) to easily load the bag with any desired item,
such as a container of
hot food, and can then close and seal the bag (e.g., FIG. 12C). When in this
state, the contents of
the insulated bag may not be accessed without disrupting the tamper-evident
seal and/or bag
walls. The end user can, upon receipt of the insulated bag, tear off the
tamper-evident seal to
access the contents (e.g., FIG. 12D). Although the tamper-evident seal has
been removed from
the bag at this point, the bag may be reused to store or transport hot or cold
items (e.g., FIG.
12G). The bag may be made entirely with biodegradable and/or compostable
materials.
Accordingly, in some embodiments, a consumer can ultimately have hot or cold
foods delivered
to them with assurance that the foods have not been altered during transport,
in a bag that may be
disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner.
7
CA 3075787 2020-03-13
[0042] FIGS. 1-4 show an insulated bag 100 with several primary components or
elements
including an outer tube 110, an inner tube 120, an adhesive 130, a score line
140, a bag seal zone
150, a handle 160, and a bag bottom 180. Embodiments of the disclosed bags may
also include a
plurality of vents 170, an additional adhesive 190 and/or a viewing window
195. Other
embodiments of a tamper-evident insulated bag are described with reference to
FIGS. 5-15. In
particular, bag 200 is shown in FIGS. 6-7, bag 300 in FIGS. 8-12, bag 400 in
FIG. 13, bag 500 in
FIG. 14, and bag 600 in FIG. 15. The bags may have any suitable shape such as
those that are
rectangular, circular, and irregular shapes. Additionally, the bags may have
any suitable size.
For example, the bag may hold several containers such as three or four
containers that are each
about eight inches across in diameter. In some embodiments, the volume of the
bag may vary
from about 1000 inches3 to about 2000 inches3 and from about 1200 inches3 to
about 1400
inches3. Additionally, the bag may be sized and sufficiently strong to hold
about 3-55 lbs, 5-30
lbs, 8-12 lbs of food or about 10 lbs of food.
[0043] With reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, insulated bag 100 includes outer
tube 110, inner
tube 120, bag seal zone 150 including adhesive 130 and score line 140, and
handle 160. The bag
100 has an open end region 102 and a closed end region 106. The open end
region 102 of bag
100 includes an open end 104 that provides access to inner portions of the bag
100, such as for a
restaurant to load warm food containers into the bag for delivery to a remote
customer. The
closed end region 106 of bag 100 includes a closed end 108 and a bag bottom
180 that is
typically adapted to stably rest upon a substantially planar surface, such as
a tabletop or floor.
[0044] The outer tube 110 includes an outer front wall region 112 and an outer
back wall region
116. The outer front wall region is positioned between the open end 104 and
the closed end 108
of the bag 100. The outer back wall region 116 is positioned between the open
end 104 and the
8
CA 3075787 2020-03-13
closed end 108 of the bag, and is positioned to face opposite the outer front
wall region 112. The
outer front wall region 112 includes outer front wall 113, and the outer back
wall region 116
includes outer back wall 115. The outer tube may include at its outermost
position at least one
layer of a paper or polymeric material that is printable and/or may include an
opening or sleeve
for printed material, such as a menu or advertisement. The outer tube 110 is
positioned to
substantially surround outer surfaces of the inner tube 120.
[0045] The inner tube 120 includes an inner front wall region 122 and an inner
back wall region
126 positioned to face opposite the inner front wall region 122. The inner
front wall region 122
includes inner front wall 123, and the inner back wall region 126 includes
inner back wall 125.
The innermost layer of material of the inner tube 120 may include a shelf or
sleeve for placing
small items, such as a napkins or disposable utensils. FIG. 2 illustrates the
bag 100 in an
extended and flattened view, with the edges unfastened and looking upon the
inner tube.
[0046] One of the inner tube 120 and outer tube 110 may include at least one
layer of material
that has thermal insulating properties, and the material may be compostable.
Various materials
or chemical compounds can be used for the outer tube 110 and the inner tube
120. Preferably the
materials of the outer tube and of the inner tube are selected from at least
one of the following: a
biodegradable material, a compostable material, a printable material, a
metallized material, and
an insulating material. The innermost material of the inner tube 120 is
typically a food-grade
material or GRAS material. The materials of the outer tube 110 and/or the
inner tube 120 may
have oil and/or grease resistance. Oil and grease resistance protects the
contents within the bag
100 from the outside, while also protecting the outside from the contents.
[0047] FIG. 3 depicts a cross-sectional view of the embodiment depicted in
FIGS. 1-2 and the
same embodiment is depicted FIG. 5A. In this embodiment, the outer tube 110
may include
9
CA 3075787 2020-03-13
bubble wrap, which includes regularly spaced, protruding air-filled
hemispheres (bubbles) to
provide thermal insulating properties. When the outer tube 110 comprises
bubble wrap, it is a
combination of an outer layer 102a and an insulation layer 102b as depicted in
FIG. 5A. The
same embodiment depicted in FIG. 5A may include an inner tube 120 that is a
metallized
material layer 102c. The order may also be reversed such that the inner tube
120 includes bubble
wrap while the outer tube 110 is a metallized material layer.
[0048] As noted above, the adhesive 130 is typically a permanent adhesive that
is adapted to
extend substantially the entire lateral extent of (that is, the entire
circumference of) the inner tube
at the top end 104, and that adheres the inner front wall of the bag to the
inner back wall of the
bag such that the inner front and back walls cannot be separated without the
bag material tearing
apart. Thus, the adhesive 130 is configured to form an essentially
irreversible seal between and
along the entirety of the front and back walls of the bag. Once the bag has
been sealed via the
adhesive 130, an end user can determine by viewing the condition of the bag
(torn or damaged
compared to unperturbed) whether any tampering with the bag may have occurred
since the bag
was sealed.
[0049] As used herein, the terms "seal," "sealing" and "sealed" refer to
closure of the insulated
bag by the adhesive 130 along substantially the entire lateral extent of the
inner front wall region
122 and the inner back wall region 126. Such closure involves essentially
irreversible adhesion
of the inner front wall 123 to the inner back wall 125 (and of any gussets, if
present) with no
gaps of more than about 0.5 inch in length along the inner circumference of
the open end 104 of
the bag 100.
CA 3075787 2020-03-13
[0050] As used herein, the term "essentially irreversible" refers to an
adhesive that adheres the
inner front wall of the bag to the inner back wall of the bag such that the
inner front and back
walls cannot be separated without the bag material tearing apart.
[0051] The adhesive 130 ensures that inner surfaces of the inner front wall
region 122 of the
inner tube 120 abuttingly contact and seal to inner surfaces of the inner back
wall region 126 of
the inner tube 120. The adhesive 130 may be a pressure-sensitive adhesive or a
contact adhesive.
The adhesive 130 may be applied to the inner front wall region 122 and/or
inner back wall region
126 in a linear fashion, such as an adhesive strip having a protective sheet
of material placed
upon it so that the adhesive is not inadvertently exposed until the protective
sheet is removed.
After the bag 100 has been loaded with the desired contents, such as
containers of food, the
protective sheet may be removed and the inner surfaces of the front wall
region 122 and the back
wall region 126 may be pressed together to seal the open end 104 of bag 100.
[0052] The adhesive 130 may extend around all or a portion of the interior
circumference of the
open end 104 of the bag 100. For example, an adhesive 130 may extend
substantially the entire
lateral extent of and along the inner front wall region 122 and inner back
wall region 126 of the
bag 100. Such an arrangement may be useful when, for example, the adhesive is
a contact
adhesive that is applied to both surfaces that are being adhered. In an
embodiment, the adhesive
130 may extend the partial lateral extent of and along the inner front wall
region 122 and back
wall region 126 of the bag 100. This arrangement may be useful when, for
example, the
adhesive is a pressure-sensitive adhesive that is applied to only one of the
surfaces that are being
adhered. The adhesive may, in some embodiments, extend approximately half of
the lateral
extent of and along the inner front and back wall regions of the bag. For
example, the adhesive
130 may be applied only to the inner front wall region 122 of the bag or only
to the inner back
11
CA 3075787 2020-03-13
wall region 126 of the bag. Upon adhering the inner front wall to the inner
back wall, however,
an adhesive 130 that initially extends approximately half of the lateral
extent of and along the
inner front and back wall regions of the bag will ultimately extend
substantially the entire lateral
extent of and along the inner front wall region 122 and inner back wall region
126 of the bag
100, to sealingly close the bag 100.
[0053] The adhesive strength of the adhesive 130 may vary, and may be in part
dependent upon
the materials used to form specific embodiments of the bag 100. A stronger
adhesive may be
more suitable to seal bags made of stronger materials in an essentially
irreversible manner, as
compared to bags make of weaker materials, because the adhesive need only be
stronger than the
tear strength of the materials used to form the walls of the bag. For example,
bags made with
materials having a low tensile strength, such as newspaper (about 1-2 IcN/m)
or brown paper
(about 2-50 Ith/m) can be essentially irreversibly adhered with an adhesive
having a lower
adhesive value, as compared to insulated bags made with materials having a
higher tensile
strength, such as high density polyethylene (about 37,000 lcN/m) or Kevlar
(about 3,760,000
kN/m).
[0054] The adhesive 130 may extend along the inner front wall 123 and back
wall 125 of the
bag. In one embodiment, the adhesive is a pressure-sensitive adhesive or a
contact adhesive. In
some embodiments, the adhesive is a pressure-sensitive adhesive, such as a
strip of pressure-
sensitive adhesive having a protective sheet of material placed upon it. The
adhesive may extend
partially the lateral extent of and along the inner front wall region 122 and
back wall region 126
of the bag, such as along only the inner back wall region 126 of the bag.
Other manners of
adhering the inner front and back wall regions of a bag will be known to those
of ordinary skill
in the art and are to be considered within the scope of the present
disclosure.
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[0055] The adhesive 130 may be applied to the inner tube 120 of bag 100 in any
suitable format.
In certain embodiments, the adhesive is applied as a lateral strip of adhesive
that is between
about 0.1 inch and about 1 inch wide and that extends along the inner back
wall region of the
bag. Such a lateral strip may be positioned so that it extends substantially
parallel to, or
collinearly with, the open end of the bag. In an embodiment, the lateral strip
extends
substantially the entire lateral extent of and along the front and back wall
regions of the bag. In
an embodiment, the lateral strip extends substantially the entire lateral
extent of the back wall
125 of the bag. The adhesive may be applied as a series of dots or ovals in a
two-dimensional
pattern, or it may be applied as a straight or a wavy solid line, or as a
dashed line.
[0056] The adhesive 130 may be positioned at any location in the inner tube
120 between the
open end 104 of the bag 100 and the closed end 108. In an embodiment, the
adhesive 130 is
positioned between the open end 104 and the handle 160. In some embodiments,
the adhesive
130 is positioned between the open end 104 and the score line 140. The
adhesive 130 may be
positioned in a generally straight line that is parallel to (or collinearly
with) the edges of the front
and back walls of the bag at the open end 104, and along all of, along half
of, or along a
substantial portion of the inner circumference of the open end 104. The center
of the line of
adhesive 130 may be placed between about 0.5 and about 5 inches below the open
end 104 of the
bag 100. For example, the center of the line of adhesive 130 may be positioned
about 3 to about
4 inches below the open end 104 of the bag 100, such as about 3.5 inches below
the open end
104.
[0057] In an embodiment, the adhesive is a commercially available adhesive
such as standard
hot melt adhesives applied via a hot melt applicator. For example, the
adhesive may include any
adhesive used with polyethylene-based materials.
13
CA 3075787 2020-03-13
[0058] The score line 140 may be formed from removing or perforating the bag
material in a
well-defined pattern, typically a line, and is adjacent the adhesive material.
The score line 140
ensures that the removal of the adhesive 130 to efficiently separate it from
lower portions of the
bag 100 occurs in the proper location and in an organized manner to provide
access to the inner
contents of the bag 100 and to visibly indicate that the bag 100 has been
unsealed.
[0059] The score line 140 is generally placed underneath (that is, in a
direction toward the bag
bottom 180) the adhesive 130. The score line 140 may, in certain embodiments,
be positioned
adjacent the handle 160. For example, when viewing the bag 100 with the open
end 104 at the
top and moving toward the bag bottom 180, a strip of adhesive 130 may be
positioned above the
score line 140, which is positioned above the handle 160, which is positioned
above the plurality
of vents 170.
[0060] The score line 140 may be formed by either complete or partial removal
of the material
(including both the outer tube 110 and inner tube 120) from the bag 100 in an
overall linear
pattern. Such removal of the material may occur during manufacture of the bag
as, for example,
a frangible tear line, a line of perforation, and/or a region of reduced bag
thickness. In certain
embodiments, the score line 140 permits the controlled separation of the
adhesive 120 from a
neighboring portion of the bag 100, as initiated by a user of the bag. The
removal of the
essentially irreversible seal via separation of the adhesive 130 from the bag
100 by a user in an
on-demand and visually evident manner is a benefit of the insulated bags
disclosed herein.
[0061] The score line 140 may be of any length and thickness suitable for the
bag 100. For
example, the score line 140 may be a line of oval holes formed by a rotary
pinned perforation
roller, a die and punch, or a laser. In an embodiment, each hole is between
about 1 mm and
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CA 3075787 2020-03-13
about 10 mm long, such as between about 2 mm and about 5 mm long, or about 3
mm long, and
between about 0.05 and about 8 inm wide, such as about 0.5 mm wide.
[0062] The bag seal zone 150 is formed adjacent the open end 104 of bag 100 so
that the
material of the inner surfaces of the inner front wall region 122 of the inner
tube 120 abuttingly
contact and seal to inner surfaces of the inner back wall region 126 of the
inner tube 120. In an
embodiment, the bag seal zone 150 includes the adhesive 130 and the score line
140. As noted,
an end user can access the contents of the bag 100 after the top end 104 has
been sealed via the
adhesive 130 by tearing along the score line 140. The bag seal zone 150 can be
closed using the
adhesive 130 to create an essentially irreversible seal that is positioned
below the open end 104
and above the closed end region 106, such as shown in FIG. 4B.
[0063] Several advantages exist with the insulated bags disclosed herein. One
advantage is that
the bag seal zone 150 of the bag 100 provides users with an indicator to
determine if the bag 100
has already been open. This indication alerts consumers of possible tampering
of with the bag
100. The bag seal zone 150 also, in certain embodiments, may protect the
adhesive 130 that is
used to seal the bag 100.
[0064] The insulated bag 100 may include a handle 160 that is integral to the
front and back
walls, as shown in FIGS. 1-4, 6, and 8-14. The handle 160 enables consumers to
better handle
the bag, including for transport and/or delivery. The handle 160 may be used
by a consumer to
easily grasp the bag 100 for transport to another location. The handle 160 may
be formed as a
single hole or as a plurality of holes in the bag that are adapted to fit up
the fingers of a
consumer. For example, the handle may be an oval hole that extends through and
along the outer
front wall region and the outer back wall region (e.g., FIG. 1). The material
removed from the
bag 100 to form the handle 160 may be entirely removed from the bag 100, or it
may be partially
CA 3075787 2020-03-13
removed from the bag 100. For example, the handle 160 may be formed using a
die and punch
process that cuts only partially around the circumference of the oval, such as
about 70% of the
circumference to form a flap that remains attached to the top edge of the
handle 160.
Embodiments of an insulated bag 100 may include a flap, also known as a chad,
which is formed
by a score line and is then easily pushed aside by a user's fingers when
grasping the bag, and
thus need not be completely removed from the bag 100. Other ways to form the
handle will be
known to those of ordinary skill in the art and are to be considered within
the scope of the
present disclosure.
[0065] The handle 160 may be of any length and width suitable for the bag 100.
For example,
the handle 160 may be an oval hole formed by a rotary pinned perforation
roller, a die and
punch, or a laser cutter. In an embodiment, the handle 160 is a single oval
having a length
between about 3 inches and about 8 inches, such as between about 4 inches and
about 7 inches
long, or about 5 inches long, and between about 0.5 inches and about 1.5
inches wide, such as
about 1 inch wide. In some embodiments, the handle 160 is a series of three
ovals (e.g., FIG. 8),
each having a length between about 1 inches and about 3.5 inches, such as
between about 1.5
inches and about 3 inches long, or about 2.5 inches long, and between about
0.5 inches and about
1.5 inches wide, such as about 1 inch wide.
[0066] With reference to FIGS. 4A, 4B, 4C and 4D, a container of food may be
placed into the
bag 100 through the open end 104 (FIG. 4A). The bag 100 may be sealed by
adhering the inner
front wall to the inner back wall via adhesive 130 (FIG. 4B), and the food
transported from, for
example, a restaurant to a customer via a delivery service. The customer can
visually perceive if
any damage to the bag is present prior to accepting the delivery from the
delivery service, such
as any tearing along the score line 140 and/or ripped inner or outer tube
materials along or near
16
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the adhesive 130, thereby indicating that tampering with the bag may have
occurred since the
bag was sealed. The customer may then remove the upper portion of the bag,
including the bag
seal zone 150 and the handle 160, from the lower portion of the bag (FIG. 4C).
The open end
104 of the shorter bag 100 having the upper portion removed, may be opened
(FIG. 4D) and the
contents of the bag removed for consumption.
[0067] With reference to FIGS. 5A-5E, the bag 100 may be constructed so the
outer tube 110
and/or the inner tube 120 each comprise a plurality of layers or a single
material. Other numbers
of layers and/or combinations of materials used to form an insulated bag,
including materials that
are biodegradable and/or compostable, will be known to those of ordinary skill
in the art and are
to be considered within the scope of the present disclosure.
[0068] As described above, FIG. 5A depicts an embodiment wherein the outer
tube 110 is
bubble wrap with an outer layer 102a and an insulation layer 102b and the
inner tube 120 is a
metallized material layer 102c. However, as mentioned, the material of either
the outer tube 110
or the inner tube 120 may comprise an air bubble packing material. The bubble
film may, for
example, have a low profile and the bubbles may be only several millimeters in
diameter such as
3 mm to about 7 mm. In one embodiment, the bubble film has bubbles with a
diameter that is
about 5 millimeters.
[0069] In some embodiments, the layers may include at least one of a grease
resistant material, a
material with high durability, and a waterproof material. In an embodiment,
the inner tube 120
includes at least one grease resistant barrier. In some embodiments, one or
all of the layers may
be formed from a biodegradable and a compostable material, such as paper,
pulp, or polylactic
acid (PLA). Additionally, in some embodiments, at least one layer comprises a
metallized
material, such a rolled aluminum foil. The layers may also include a
metallized film that is a
17
CA 3075787 2020-03-13
laminate of a polymer film such as mylar with a thin layer of metal such as
aluminum. In some
embodiments, the material of at least one of the outer tube 110 and the inner
tube 120 is a
metallized polymer, which may include aluminum. The metallized materials and
metallized
polymers are capable of reflecting heat radiation to preserve the temperature
of the foods during
transport. Examples of suitable metallized polymers include a metallized
polyester or a
metallized PLA. The metallized PLA film may, for example, be supplied by
Celplast Metallized
Products Limited such as their 80 ga (20 micron) metallized PLA film.
[0070] FIG. 5B a further embodiment that is similar to the embodiment depicted
in FIG. 5A but
features an insulation layer 102e instead of the insulation layer 102b of the
bubble wrap.
Insulation layer 102e may comprise an insulating material instead of a
structure that encapsulates
air. FIG. 5B illustrates the three layers with the middle insulation layer
102e being thicker than
the outer two layers. For example, the middle insulation layer 102e in FIG. 5C
may be a foamed
polymeric material sandwiched between an outer tube 110 such as a paper layer
102d and an
inner tube 120, such as a grease resistant or water resistant material like a
metallized film layer
102c.
[0071] FIG. 5C depicts an embodiment with four layers. An example of an
embodiment with
four layers is a polyethylene coating or layer 102f, a metallized film layer
102c, an insulation
layer (depicted as a flat layer for simplicity) that may be bubble film 102b,
and a white sealant
film 102g. Each of these layers may comprise polyethylene-based materials. In
the embodiment
described with reference to FIG. 5C, the layers may have a total film gauge of
about 4.35 mil
including a polyethylene coating or layer, a 1.5 mil metallized film layer, a
1.5 mil bubble film
with a low profile, and a 1.35 mil white sealant film.
18
CA 3075787 2020-03-13
[0072] A layer of the insulating material enhances the temperature retention
in the inner portion
of the bag 100 and can additionally reduce risk of damage to the bag
structure. Other suitable
insulating materials will be known to those skilled in the art and are to be
considered within the
scope of the present disclosure. In addition to the use of bubble wrap or
bubble film other
structures may be used that insulate by containing air including, crepe paper
having gathers to
provide texture, and fluted corrugated sheets. FIG. 5D depicts crêpe paper
102h having gathers
with a regular pattern on a metallized film layer 102c. However, the crêpe
paper may also have
gathers in an irregular pattern. The fluted corrugated sheets may, for
example, be an E flute with
90 +/- 4 flutes per linear foot or an F flute with 125 +/- 4 flutes per linear
foot.
[0073] FIG. 5E illustrates an embodiment of a bag having two layers. The
material used for the
outer tube 110 may be different from the material used for the inner tube 120,
as shown, or they
may be the same. FIG. 5E depicts an embodiment of an insulated bag having at
least one paper
layer 102h' as an outer tube 110 and at least one polymeric layer as an inner
tube 120 such as a
metallized film layer 102c.
[0074] FIG. 5F shows a cross-section of a bag having a single tube made of a
single material.
The single layer 102i of the single tube may comprise any of the layers
disclosed herein.
[0075] In some embodiments, each layer of the material used for the outer tube
110 and the
inner tube 120 has a film gauge of about 1 mil to 3 mil, about 1.3 mil to
about 2.5 mil, about 1.5
mil to about 2 mil, or about 1.5 mil.
[0076] FIG. 6 shows an insulated bag 200 having an outer tube 110, an inner
tube 120, an
adhesive 130, a score line 140, a bag seal zone 150, a handle 160, a plurality
of vents 170, and a
bag bottom 180. The insulated bag 200 includes four C-shaped vents 170, each
of which extends
through the outer front wall 113 and inner front wall 123. The vents 170
enable steam and/or
19
CA 3075787 2020-03-13
condensation to be released from the bag and ensure that there is no pressure
differential between
the interior of the bag and the exterior environment. Each of the vents 170
may be formed as a
C-shaped cut in the bag that extends through the entire front or entire back
wall of the bag, thus
allowing for air and other gases to get into or out of the bag.
[0077] For example, the vent may be a C-shaped cut or a D-shaped cut that
extends through and
along at least one of the outer front wall region and the outer back wall
region. The material
within the shaped cut may form a flap that remains attached to the wall of the
bag in which it
resides, such as illustrated in FIG. 7A. The flap, also known as a chad, may
be easily pushed
aside to allow for pressure equalization between the inside and outside of the
bag, such as
illustrated in FIG. 7B. Thus, the flap need not be completely removed from the
bag.
[0078] Each of the vents 170 may be of any shape or size suitable for the bag.
For example,
each of the vents 170 may be a semi-circular slit formed by a rotary pinned
perforation roller, a
die and punch, or a laser cutter. In an embodiment, each of the vents 170 is
formed by partially
cutting a circle into the front and/or the back wall of the bag, the circle
having a diameter
between about 0.1 inches and about 1.5 inches, such as between about 0.2
inches and about 1.0
inches, or about 0.5 inches. The cut may completely penetrate the wall or may
just score the
wall by forming a weakened border such that the vent may be opened when
desired. Each vent
may be formed in a semi-circular shape that results from cutting about 60% of
the circumference,
about 70% of the circumference, about 80% of the circumference, or about 90%
of the
circumference of a circle into the bag wall. In an embodiment, each vent is a
C-shaped vent that
results from cutting about 80% of the circumference of a circle into the bag
wall.
[0079] In certain embodiments, the vents 170 are shaped such and/or placed in
a position such
that hinders access to inner portions of the bag after the bag has been sealed
via adhesive 130.
CA 3075787 2020-03-13
For example, the size of each vent may not be large enough for an adult human
finger to fit into
the vent, or the vents may be placed high enough on the bag that access to the
bottom of the bag
is difficult. In some embodiments, the plurality of vents 170 may be
positioned above (that is,
toward the open end 104) the adhesive 130 and/or score line 140. The plurality
of vents may be
positioned above the bag seal zone 150. In an embodiment, the plurality of
vents 170 are each
C-shaped. In certain embodiments, the plurality of vents 170 are positioned
between the score
line 140 and the bag bottom 180. Other sizes, shapes and configurations of the
vents will be
known to those of ordinary skill in the art and are to be considered within
the scope of the
present disclosure.
[0080] The four C-shaped vents 170 of the embodiment of the bag 200 shown in
FIGS. 6-7 are
located on the outer tube front wall region 112, extending from the outer
front wall 113 to the
inner front wall 123, and placed between the handle 160 and the bag bottom
180. However, the
number and placement of the plurality of vents 170 is not limited. The bag 200
may include a
single vent 170 or a plurality of vents 170, which may be placed in varying
locations on the front
or back walls of the bag. For example, one embodiment of an insulated bag 200
having four
vents 170, with a vent located in a line approximately equidistant from each
other and from the
edges of the front wall, is illustrated in FIG. 6. FIG. 8 shows an insulated
bag 300 having three
D-shaped vents 170 located adjacent and under three handles 160.
[0081] Other embodiments of insulated bags, such as those depicted in FIGS. 6-
7 as bag 200
and FIGS. 8-12 as bag 300, may resemble the bag 100 discussed above with
respect to FIGS. 1-
4. It will be appreciated that the illustrated embodiments may have analogous
features.
Accordingly, like features are designated with like reference numerals, with
the leading digits
incremented to "1," "2," or "3". Relevant disclosure set forth above regarding
similarly
21
CA 3075787 2020-03-13
identified features thus may not be repeated hereafter. Moreover, specific
features of the bag and
related components shown in FIGS. 5-14 may not be shown or identified by a
reference numeral
or specifically discussed in the written description that follows. However,
such features may
clearly be the same, or substantially the same, as features depicted in other
embodiments and/or
described with respect to such embodiments. Accordingly, the relevant
descriptions of such
features apply equally to the features of the bag 100, bag 200, bag 300, bag
400, bag 500, and
bag 600. Any suitable combination of the features, and variations of the same,
described with
respect to the bag 100 and components illustrated in FIGS. 1-4 can be employed
with the other
bags and their components illustrated in FIGS. 6-15, and vice versa. This
pattern of disclosure
applies equally to further embodiments depicted in subsequent figures and
described hereafter.
[0082] The insulated bags disclosed herein, such as bags 100, 200 and 300,
include a closed end
region 106 having the closed end 108 and the bag bottom 180. The bottom 180
may be of any be
of any shape or size suitable for the bag. For example, the bottom 180 may be
approximately
rectangular in shape, or be hexagonal or octagonal. The bottom 180 may have
rounded edges,
such as being oval or circular in shape. In certain embodiments, the bottom
180 is adapted to
stably rest upon a substantially planar surface, such as a tabletop or floor,
when the bag is in an
upright or standing position. The ability of the bag to stably rest upon a
tabletop advantageously
permits easy loading of items into the inner portions of the bag by, for
example, a restaurant
worker that is packing a take-out order for delivery.
[0083] The shape and size of the bag bottom 180 can vary, including to conform
to the intended
food products to be packaged. For example, a bag having a long and narrow
bottom 180 would
be suitable for packaging warm loaves of bread, as compared to a bag having a
shorter and wider
22
CA 3075787 2020-03-13
bottom 180 that may be suitable for packaging multiple containers of cold
milk, ice cream, or
warm hamburgers or soup.
[0084] With reference to FIGS. 4A-4D, in some embodiments, the bag bottom 180
may be
configured or adapted to extend in approximately a single plane in a generally
horizontal manner
that it is substantially perpendicular to front walls 113, 123 and back walls
115, 125 when the
bag 100 is in a standing open position. As illustrated in FIG. 4A, the bottom
180 can, in an
embodiment, be approximately rectangular in shape and configured to stably
rest upon a
substantially planar surface. Embodiments of the insulated bags disclosed
herein may include a
plurality of gussets 197 in addition to a front and back wall, such
illustrated in FIG. 14, and the
bottom 180 may be approximately hexagonal or circular in shape.
[0085] The bag bottom 180 may be of any strength and thickness suitable for
the bag 100. The
bottom 180 may be made with the same materials used for the outer and/or inner
tube, or it may
be made with different and/or additional materials. For example, the bottom
180 may include a
stiff material to add rigidity and/or strength to the bag 100. The outermost
layer of bottom 180
may include a waterproof material or a tear-resistant material. The bottom 180
may include a
cupped or bowl-shaped material to contain spills or moisture that may be
released from the
contents of the bag.
[0086] In an embodiment, the bag bottom 180 is made of the same materials as
the outer tube
110 and inner tube 120. The bottom 180 is, in some embodiments, rectangular
and has a length
between about 12 inches and about 36 inches, such as between about 18 inches
and about 24
inches. The bottom 180 may have a width between about 6 inches and about 12
inches, such as
between about 8 inches and about 10 inches.
23
CA 3075787 2020-03-13
[0087] Embodiments of the insulated bags disclosed herein may also include an
additional
adhesive 190 that is typically a releasable or removable adhesive that adheres
the inner front wall
of the bag to the inner back wall of the bag such that the inner front and
back walls may be
repeatedly and easily stuck and unstuck together. The additional adhesive 190
is configured to
temporarily adhere the surfaces to which it is attached, and is typically has
weak adhesive
strength. Thus, the additional adhesive 190 is configured to form a
substantially reversible seal
between the front and back walls of the bag, in contrast to the substantially
irreversible seal of
the adhesive 130. The reversible closure of additional adhesive 190 involves
adhesion of the
inner front wall 123 to the inner back wall 125 (and of any gussets, if
present, in some
embodiments) such that the inner front and back walls are readily separable
without damage to
the bag. Thus, the additional adhesive 190 allows the inner surfaces of the
inner front wall
region 122 and inner back wall region 126 to readily and easily peelingly
separate and unseal the
inner surfaces of the inner front wall region 122 and inner back wall region
126 without
significant or substantial damage to the inner surfaces when opening the bag.
The adhesive may
be a polyurethane such as those sold by Morchem.
[0088] Insulated bag 300 as illustrated in FIGS. 8-12 is an embodiment that
includes an
additional adhesive 190. FIGS. 8 and 10 show the bag 300 in a closed, unsealed
position. FIG. 9
shows the bag 300 in an extended and flattened view, with the edges unfastened
and looking
down upon the inner tube, showing the additional adhesive 190 placed along the
inner back wall
125 below the handles 160 and vents 170. FIG. 11A is a side view of the bag
300 in cross-
section of showing the handle and vents collinear with the bag, and FIG. 11B
illustrates how the
bottom of the handle and vent chads may be pushed out slightly from the bag.
24
CA 3075787 2020-03-13
[0089] The additional adhesive 190 may be a pressure-sensitive adhesive and is
typically placed
only on one of the inner front wall region 122 or inner back wall region 126,
such as shown in
FIG. 9. The additional adhesive 190 may be applied in a linear form, such as
an adhesive strip
having a protective sheet of material placed upon it so that the adhesive is
not inadvertently
exposed until removal of the protective sheet. The additional adhesive may be
placed below
(that is, toward the bottom 180) the adhesive 130 and score line 140. In this
manner, the
additional adhesive 190 may be used as a closure that is non-tamper evident,
such as after the
tamper evident seal (that is, the sealed adhesive 130 and the bag walls to
which it is attached) has
been removed via tearing along the score line 140. Thus, the bag may be reused
multiple times
even after removal of the tamper evident seal, in its capacity as an insulated
bag.
[0090] The additional adhesive 190 may be applied to the inner tube 120 of bag
in any suitable
format. The additional adhesive 190 may be generally placed and arranged as
described for the
adhesive 130. For example, the additional adhesive 190 may be adapted to
extend substantially
along the inner front wall region 122 and inner back wall region 126 of the
bag 300. In an
embodiment, the additional adhesive 190 may extend the partial lateral extent
of and along the
inner front wall region 122 and back wall region 126 of the bag 300. The
adhesive may, in some
embodiments, extend approximately half of the lateral extent of and along the
inner front and
back wall regions of the bag.
[0091] Because of the reversible nature of the additional adhesive 190, its
adhesive strength is
typically low. In some embodiments, the adhesive is a low-tack pressure-
sensitive adhesive.
Other manners of temporarily adhering the inner front and back wall regions of
a bag will be
known to those of ordinary skill in the art and are to be considered within
the scope of the
present disclosure.
CA 3075787 2020-03-13
[0092] The additional adhesive 190 may positioned at any location in the inner
tube 120
between the open end 104 of the bag 100 and the closed end 108. In an
embodiment, the
additional adhesive 190 is positioned adjacent the handle(s) 160. In certain
embodiments, the
additional adhesive is positioned adjacent the plurality of vents 170. In some
embodiments, the
additional adhesive 190 is positioned between the score line 140 and the bag
bottom 180. The
additional adhesive 190 may be positioned in a generally straight line that is
parallel to the score
line 140, and along a portion of the inner circumference of the open end 104.
The center of the
line of additional adhesive 190 may be placed between about 3 and about 8
inches below the
open end 104 of the bag 300. For example, the center of the line of additional
adhesive 190 may
be positioned about 5 to about 7 inches below the open end 104 of the bag 300,
such as about 6
inches below the open end 104. The adhesive may be any conventional adhesive
that achieves
the enables the bag to be reclosed and then opened again.
[0093] In other embodiments, the additional adhesive may be replaced by a
mechanical
recloseable feature. For example, the recloseable feature may comprise a
plastic slider like
Ziploc zippers. Additionally, the recloseable feature may comprise hook-and-
loop fasteners
such as Velcro fasteners.
[0094] Embodiments of the insulated bags disclosed herein advantageously
include a tamper
evident foldable bag that is configured to be flat when folded for storage
after manufacturing,
and may be unfolded for use when needed, such as at a restaurant. FIGS. 12A-
12G illustrate an
exemplary process for unfolding bag 300. The same or substantially similar
process may be used
for different embodiments of the insulated bags disclosed herein, including
bags 100, 200, 400
and 500.
26
CA 3075787 2020-03-13
[0095] With reference to FIG. 12A, the bag 300 may be positioned in a closed
and flat position.
In this position, the bag 300 has the bag bottom 180 and the bag front walls
113, 123 and back
walls 115, 125 all substantially within the same plane. As such, multiple bags
300 may be
stacked and stored in a space-efficient manner until used, such as by a
restaurant for delivery of
food. The bag bottom 180 may be extended out of this initial plane, such as by
extending it to a
position that permits the bag to stably rest upon a substantially planar
surface such as a tabletop
or floor, such as shown in FIG. 12B. The bag front walls 113, 123 and back
walls 115, 125 may
then be positioned substantially perpendicular to the bag bottom 180 by, for
example, a user
putting their hands into the open end 104 of bag 300 and manually pushing the
front and back
walls apart from each other. Such positioning of the front and back walls
provides access to the
inner portion of the bag prior to placement of items into the bag, and prior
to adhesion of the
inner front and back walls via adhesive 130.
[0096] The adhesive 130 may be applied to the bag as an adhesive strip that is
positioned
adjacent the open end 104 of the outer layer of the bag 300. The adhesive
strip is configured to
have an open position and a sealingly closed position. In the open position,
in which the
adhesive 130 is not substantially adhering the inner front wall 123 to the
inner back wall 125 of
the bag 300, the inner portion of the bag 300 is accessible and a user may
readily place items
therein, such as shown in FIG. 12B. In the closed position, in which the inner
front wall 123 and
the inner back wall 125 abuttingly contact and are adhered to each other, the
inner front wall 123
is adhered to the inner back wall 125 in a substantially irreversible manner.
[0097] After placing items such as a container of hot or cold food into the
inner portion of the
bag 300, the open end 104 of bag 300 may be closed and sealed by adhering the
inner front wall
123 to inner back wall 125 using adhesive 130, such as shown in FIG. 12C. This
adhesion of the
27
CA 3075787 2020-03-13
front and back walls 123, 125 seals the bag 300 and prevents ready access of
the inner portion of
the bag 300 such that the bag 300 cannot be opened without substantial damage
to the inner front
and back wall regions 122, 126, thereby indicating that the open end 104 of
bag 300 may have
been tampered with after sealing.
[0098] The tamper evident seal of bag 300 may be removed by tearing along
score line 140 to
separate the upper portion of the bag 300 from the lower portion of the bag
that contains the food
items, such as shown in FIG. 12D. The removal of the tamper evident seal
permits ready access
to the contents, as shown in FIG. 12E. Although the tamper evident seal has
been removed from
the bag 300 at this point, the bag 300 may be reused to store or transport hot
or cold items either
without a seal to secure the front and back walls 123, 125, or by using
additional adhesive 190 to
close the bag 300, as is shown in FIGS. 12F and 12G.
[0099] According to another embodiment of the disclosed insulated bags, the
bag can be altered,
for example, by forming a bag body having a plurality of material layers that
form the inner tube
and outer tube as described above. The bag body has at least one inner layer
of material and at
least one outer layer of material positioned to substantially surround outer
surfaces of the inner
layer of material. In an embodiment, the inner layer includes an insulating
material and the outer
layer includes a printable material. The printable material may be, for
example, a metallized
polymer such as polyester, paper, or a combination of a metallized polyester
and paper. In some
embodiments, the outer layer may include an insulating material. In one
embodiment, the inner
layer may include an insulating material, such as a metallized polymer. Any
one or both of the
inner or outer layer may include a biodegradable and/or compostable material.
The bag may
include an insulating outer or inner layer formed with an air bubble packing
material.
28
CA 3075787 2020-03-13
[00100] As described above for specific embodiments of the bags, such as bag
100 and with
reference to FIGS. 1-4, the bag body has a pair of opposing bag ends, an open
end 104 and a
closed end 108, an outer front wall region 112 positioned between the pair of
opposing bag ends
104 and 108, and an outer back wall region 115 positioned to face opposite the
outer front wall
region 112 and between the pair of opposing bag ends 104, 108.
[00101] The bag includes an inner layer having an inner front wall region 122
with an inner
front wall 123, an inner back wall region 126 with an inner back wall 125
opposite the inner
front wall 123, and an outer layer surrounding the inner layer. The outer
layer has an open end
104 configured to have an open position and a closed position, a bag bottom
180 that is
configured to stably rest upon a substantially planar surface, an outer front
wall 113 positioned
between the open end 104 and the bag bottom 180, and an outer back wall 115
positioned
between the open end 104 and the bag bottom 180 and opposite the outer front
wall. When the
open end 104 of the bag 100 is in the open position, the inner portion of the
bag is accessible,
and when the open end 104 is in the closed position, the inner front wall 123
abuts the inner back
wall 125, to close the bag and thereby restrict access to the inner portion of
the bag.
[00102] The bag 100, in certain embodiments, includes a first adhesive 130
positioned adjacent
the open end 104 of the outer layer, the first adhesive 130 adapted to extend
substantially the
entire lateral extent of and along the inner front and back walls 123, 125,
and configured to
substantially irreversibly seal the inner front wall 123 to the inner back
wall 125. The bag 100
may include a score line 140 adjacent the first adhesive 130 and extending
through and along
substantially the entire lateral extent of the outer front and back walls 113,
115. The bag 100
may further include a handle 160 positioned between the score line 140 and the
bag bottom 180,
extending through and along the outer front and back walls 113, 115. The bag
100 may also
29
CA 3075787 2020-03-13
include a plurality of C-shaped vents positioned between the handle 160 and
the bag bottom 180,
extending through and along at least one of the outer front wall 113 or back
wall 115. The bag
100 may include a second adhesive 190 positioned adjacent the handle 160 and
adapted to
extend along the inner front wall 123 and the inner back wall 125, and
configured to
substantially reversibly seal the inner front wall 123 to the inner back wall
125. Embodiments of
the bag 100 may also include a viewing window 195 in one of the outer front
wall 113 and outer
back wall 115.
[00103] Embodiments of the insulated bags disclosed herein, such as bag 400
shown in FIG. 13,
may also include a viewing window 195 that is typically positioned in the
front wall of the bag
and extends through the outer front wall 113 and the inner front wall 123 of
the bag 400 such
that contents within the interior of the bag are visible from the outside
after the bag has been
sealed via adhesive 130. The viewing window 195 may be particularly useful
after loading and
sealing of the bag 400 at a restaurant, so that the correct number of
containers of a food order
may be confirmed prior to delivery to the end user/customer.
[00104] The viewing window 195 may be configured to permit viewing of the bag
contents
while also maintaining the tamper-evident integrity of the bag 100. Thus, for
example, the
viewing window may be formed of materials that are semi-opaque or clarified
rather than
completely transparent, and that are resistant to tearing. The materials used
to form the viewing
window 195 may be the same as, or may be different from, the materials used to
form the bag
100. The viewing window 195 may be of any shape or size suitable for the bag.
The viewing
window 195 is typically a rectangular shape placed in the front wall of the
bag 400, having a
length between about 3 inches and about 10 inches and a height between about 3
inches and
about 8 inches.
CA 3075787 2020-03-13
[00105] The viewing window 195 may be positioned between the bag bottom 180 of
the bag
400 and the open end 104. For example, the viewing window 195 may, in some
embodiments,
be placed adjacent the bag seal zone 150 and/or adjacent the bag bottom 180.
In an embodiment,
the bottom of the viewing window 195 is positioned between about 2 inches to
about 5 inches
above (that is, toward the open end 104) the bag bottom 180, and the top of
the viewing window
195 is positioned between about 2 inches to about 5 inches below (that is,
toward the closed end
108) the score line 140.
[00106] In an embodiment, the bag 100 includes a viewing window 195 that is
formed by
manufacturing a laminate. This process comprises the step of extrusion
laminating, onto a first
material perforated by a hole for and defining a viewing window 195, a heat-
sealable second
material. The layer of second heat-sealable plastic material is spaced from
the layer of first
material by thermoplastic layer deposited by extrusion between the layer of
first material and the
layer of second material in a manner such that the window is hermetically
sealed by plastic
through which the contents of a bag produced from the laminate may be viewed.
The second
material may comprises a 110 gauge (26 micron) transparent barrier film sold
by Exxon Mobil as
product 110AXT under the trade-mark BICOR, which has been laminated, by a
solvent-based
adhesive, to a 1 mm transparent sealant film sold by Pliant Corporation as
product 1029. The
intermediate layer may comprise low density polyethylene (LDPE). Other
suitable
thermoplastics for the intermediate layer include but are not limited to PE,
LLDPE, MDPE,
EVA, EMA, EAA and HDPE. Examples of laminates used to form a viewing window
are
disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 9,498,930, which is hereby incorporated by
reference.
[00107] Embodiments of the insulated bags disclosed herein may also include a
plurality of
gussets (also known as side walls) between the front and back walls of the bag
that may permit
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the bag to have a larger volume, to readily contain boxy food containers (such
as, for example, a
6-pack of an ethanolic beverage), and/or add strength to the bag. For example,
as illustrated in
FIG. 14, bag 500 includes a pair of gussets 197. An insulated bag 500 having
plurality of gussets
197 is advantageously provided as another embodiment of the present
disclosure. The bag 500
may include an outer tube 110, an inner tube 120, an adhesive 130, a score
line 140, a handle
160, vents 170, and a bag bottom 180 and a pair of gussets 197.
[00108] The material used to form the gussets 197 may be the same as, or may
be different
from, the materials used to form the inner and/or outer tubes of bag 500. The
gussets 197 may
be of any shape or size suitable for the bag 500. The gussets 197 typically
have a rectangular or
triangular shape, having a height that matches the height of the bag 500 and a
width between
about 3 inches and about 10 inches. The open end 104 of an embodiment of a
gusseted bag
having triangular gussets may not be substantially changed as compared to that
of a non-gusseted
bag. The open end 104 of an embodiment of a gusseted bag having rectangular
gussets, such as
bag 500 shown in FIG. 14, will be enlarged by the gussets. The shape of closed
end 108 and bag
bottom 180 in a gusseted bag will differ as compared to a non-gusseted bag.
Other sizes and
shapes of gussets for a bag will be known to those of ordinary skill in the
art and are to be
considered within the scope of the present disclosure.
[00109] The gussets 197 are preferably formed between the outer front wall
region 112 and the
outer back wall region 116 of the insulated bag 500. At least a first one of
the plurality of
gussets 197 is formed in a first region between the outer front and back wall
regions so as to
define a first outer side wall region. At least a second one of the plurality
of gussets 197 is
formed in a second region between the outer front and back wall regions so as
to define a second
outer side wall region. The second side wall region is positioned opposite the
first outer side
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wall region. Insulated bags that include a plurality of gussets 197 may
exhibit increased drop
and abuse resistance of the bag 500.
[00110] FIG. 15 depicts bag 600, which has a flat bag bottom 680. The other
components of
bag 600 are essentially the same as those of bag 100 as depicted in FIG. 1
including an outer tube
110 with an outer front wall region 112, an inner tube 120, an adhesive 130, a
score line 140, a
bag seal zone 150, and a handle 160. The bag 600 has an open end region 102
with an open end
104 and a closed end region 106 with a closed end 108. Bag 600 has a
rectangular cross-section
and the flat bag bottom 680 is rectangular. Bag 600 has a gussets 697 at its
opposing short sides.
Gussets have a rectangular shape but may have any shape that enables bag 600
to be in a
collapsed position and then transition to enable bag 600 to be upright.
[00111] Bag 600 may have any combination of layers disclosed herein like the
other bags
disclosed herein. Bag 600 may also have an outer tube and an inner tube that
is a single material
such as the single layer 102i disclosed in FIG. 5F.
[00112] It is envisioned that the insulated bags disclosed herein can be used
for any type of
product that may benefit from having a tamper evident seal. Such uses include
bags for various
food items and other uses as will be known to one skilled in the art and are
to be considered
within the scope of this disclosure.
[00113] References to approximations are made throughout this specification,
such as by use of
the terms "about" or "approximately." For each such reference, it is to be
understood that, in
some embodiments, the value, feature, or characteristic may be specified
without approximation.
For example, where qualifiers such as "about," "substantially," and
"generally" are used, these
terms include within their scope the qualified words in the absence of their
qualifiers. For
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example, where the term "substantially planar" is recited with respect to a
feature, it is
understood that in further embodiments, the feature can have a precisely
planar configuration.
[00114] Reference throughout this specification to "an embodiment" or "the
embodiment"
means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in
connection with that
embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, the quoted phrases,
or variations
thereof, as recited throughout this specification are not necessarily all
referring to the same
embodiment.
[00115] Similarly, it should be appreciated that in the above description of
embodiments,
various features are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment,
figure, or description
thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of
disclosure, however, is
not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that any claim require more
features than those
expressly recited in that claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect,
inventive aspects lie in a
combination of fewer than all features of any single foregoing disclosed
embodiment.
[00116] The claims following this written disclosure are hereby expressly
incorporated into the
present written disclosure, with each claim standing on its own as a separate
embodiment. This
disclosure includes all permutations of the independent claims with their
dependent claims.
Moreover, additional embodiments capable of derivation from the independent
and dependent
claims that follow are also expressly incorporated into the present written
description. These
additional embodiments are determined by replacing the dependency of a given
dependent claim
with the phrase "any of the preceding claims up to and including claim [x],"
where the bracketed
term "[x]" is replaced with the number of the most recently recited
independent claim. For
example, for the first claim set that begins with independent claim 1, claim 3
can depend from
either of claims 1 and 2, with these separate dependencies yielding two
distinct embodiments;
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claim 4 can depend from any one of claims 1, 2, or 3, with these separate
dependencies yielding
three distinct embodiments; claim 5 can depend from any one of claims 1, 2, 3,
or 4, with these
separate dependencies yielding four distinct embodiments; and so on.
[00117] Recitation in the claims of the term "first" with respect to a feature
or element does not
necessarily imply the existence of a second or additional such feature or
element. Elements
specifically recited in means-plus-function format, if any, are intended to be
construed in
accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112 If 6. Embodiments of the invention in which an
exclusive
property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows.
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