The present invention relates generally to plastic carry bags and the improvement of their functionality. More specifically, it relates to various characteristics that enhance handle strength, assist a bag to efficaciously stand up thus promoting easy use for loading, cooperate with the displacement of stress for carrying, and provide an algorithm to optimize performance.
Very little has changed in the manufacture of wavetop (or sinewave) style plastic bags over the past 30 years. In fact, most advances have been related to their manufacturing efficiencies with little regard to functionality. Typical wavetop bags made with a sinusoidal bag top and their manufacturing processes are described in Suominen U.S. Pat. No. 4,174,657, Lehmacher, et. al. GB 2121721A, Ley U.S. Pat. No. 4,609,366, and Roen, et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,717,262. As illustrated throughout these patents, the sinusoidal bag tops have a generally curved top center location where a die-cut handle is punched, and a curved bottom shoulder location adjacent the sealed bag sides. Typically the bottom curved location has an exact opposite upside down curvature equal to ½ of the curved top center location. This simple sinewave style with the curved top center location and curved bottom locations is the preferred bag today as it conforms to the high-speed manufacturing process with a cutting blade (aka, known as a “flying knife”) that swiftly weaves in and out as it forms two opposing bag tops as illustrated in the referenced patents. This manufacturing process also eliminates waste. This bag and manufacturing style accounts for essentially all of the wavetop bags made today with perhaps one to two exceptions, depending on the interpretation of the definition of the word “wavetop”.
While the '657, '721, '366 and '262 patents relate primarily to manufacturing processes, only the '657 bag also relates to a bag with a stronger handle, whereas a reinforced strip is bonded to the central film region where the wavetop shape is made. Rifenhauser in U.S. Pat. No. 4,906,228 invented a means of thickening a strip of film along a central region in the extrusion operation, whereas the resultant bags have stronger die-cut handles in the wavetop portion.
Another example of a bag top that has a wavelike bag top is described in Lehmacher U.S. Pat. No. 4,398,903 and the Piggot EU 0147122 A1. The '903 is called “somewhat elliptical”, but in FIG. 2 the bag illustrated is not elliptical like typical wavetop bags described in the '721, '366, and '262 patents. Nor is the bag illustrated in '122 typical of a wavetop bag. These particular bags have a flat top above a die cut handle with flat shoulders and are also illustrated in FIG. 2 of the '657 patent and referred to a different type of “curve shape”. The flying knife used with the '903 style of bag would be required to make four changes in direction to form this type of bag top, instead of the two changes in direction with bags made in the faster, more efficient process used in the '721 patent.
As cited in the '903 patent on page 5 in the right column on line 26, the paragraph discusses how “the peripheral speed of the cutting drum forms a direct relationship with the rotation rate for upstream and downstream feed rollers (and feed speed)”. It is commonly known in the industry that the primary factor determining the bag making cycle speed is based on feed speed, in other words, how fast the flying knife can cut the film in its central location. Thus, the cycle speed is decreased by each change of direction, or requirement thereof. The bag designs as shown in FIG. 2 of the '903 patent and in the '122 patent is not being manufactured today most likely due to the slower bag making process. While there could be some advantages to this style of bag top design if properly engineered, it has not been pursued, nor considered, as its pursuit fell in disfavor of the easier sinusoidal wavetop version of the '721 variety.
Another bag with a somewhat sinusoidal top is more commonly referred to as a Bell bag due to the top being more bell-shaped. Various examples of this design are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,759,639, 5,248,040, and those made by the process cited in U.S. Pat. No. 6,186,933. In these bags, their tops have shoulders made from die cuts, and are not sinusoidal. The '639 bag shoulders are a result of a dispensing operation (removal from tabs), and another bag, the WO 2015/031191 bag has shoulders with valleys that help promote standing up a bag.
All in all, the prior art bag tops regardless of shape, are designs related to various elements of manufacturing and dispensing efficiencies. With the one exception of the '191 bag's valleys, the prior art bag tops are engineered and manufactured with little or no regard to their ability to cooperate with the bag bottom to improve the ability of a bag to stand up, nor do they consider handle strength, ability to fold over a handle, the ease of filling a bag with goods, functionality when loaded, stress displacement, and so on.
To illustrate stress displacement, Maddock U.S. Pat. No. 4,588,392 and Dobreski CA 2,145,045 illustrate stress relief zones where the gussets meet on the bottom of a bag. What is learned from these two patents is that there are two key bottom locations vulnerable to stress when a bag is loaded. The purpose of these inventions is to relieve the stress at these two most vulnerable locations. It exemplifies that stress on a bag when loaded with goods is not directly below the location of a bag handle, but is typically located in two outwardly bottom locations instead. This phenomenon is commonly seen in loaded bags filled with a variety of goods, such as bags used in supermarket and discount store applications.
To further illustrate the two outer stress locations on bags, Gelbard in U.S. Pat. No. 4,923,436, provides a method of manufacture that moves vulnerable slit seals away from the center side gusset creases, where stress tends to be located on bags filled with a variety of goods.
Another functional attribute of prior art is related to the flattening of bag bottoms to improve the ability of a bag to stand up. For example, prior art '657 and '262 bags have bottom gussets that serve as bag bottoms. Inventor Hummel in U.S. Pat. No. 4,526,565 illustrates the use of “parallel” angle seals (FIG. 2) to form a flat bottom in a side-gusseted bag. Angle seals are also used in various types of bulk sacks to package generally granular contents, some of which angle seals would be considered located in a bottom gusset, and in the case of a valve bags with both ends sealed, they would also be located in a top gusset. In the myriad of uses, the bottom gusset size and configurations, with or without the angle seals, and the size of the flat bottom on the side-gusseted '565 bag, are all based on one of two criteria. First, a bottom gusset or flat bottom is sized based on the specific contents it is configured to hold. For example, the size and shape of a hamburger, with a French fry package placed along side. Or second, the bottom gusset size is based on squaring out a bag, such as a bulk bag, so they may be evenly stacked on a pallet facilitating the ability to stack two to three pallets. For example compost, garden soils, bulk chemicals, and so on. Normally these types of bulk sacks have narrow bottom and top gussets. The first criteria shapes the bag size to a given set of products it will be holding, such as the hamburger, fries, or perhaps a similar sandwich or snack box. The second criteria shapes the bags in order to optimize the bag's cube and improve evenly stacking the bags on pallets.
Apart from the lower outer stress regions of bags filled with assorted goods, there are also two stress locations in a single die-cut handle under load as illustrated in FIGS. 4a and 4b in U.S. Pat. No. 5,338,118. As cited, the two stress locations are in the 10:00 and 2:00 location on the die-cut handle. It is interesting to note that bag manufacturers over the years have solely considered die cut handles as having only a singular stress point at the top center location (12:00 location). For strength tests to determine a break point, it has been commonplace to hang a bag on a hook or rod, and pull downward forcefully on the bag body until the handle breaks. This approach has been commonly applied to wave top bags with their round handles. However, the shapes of a human's hands are not round like poles.
As illustrated herein, plastic bags have been made with various types of upper structures and die-cut handles for years, and all prior art designs demonstrate deficiencies of one form or another. Whether that deficiency affects handle strength, the ability of a handle to fold over, the bag's ability to stand-up for loading goods, avoids the two true stress points at the 10:00 and 2:00 location, or overlooks the outer stress regions on a bag bottom, no prior art design incorporates most, or all, of these desirable attributes in one design, let alone a formula or algorithm to accomplish the desired objective.
A bag top design that optimizes handle strength, in which the upper handled portion is easy to fold over to allow easy access to load goods, and when loaded, encourages the bottom portion of the bag to square out and stand up when filled, that likewise cooperates with the two stress points at the 10:00 and 2:00 locations of a die-cut handle and the two outer stress locations adjacent the bottom, would be valuable to this trade. It would be of additional value should this design have a formula or an algorithm that may be used by manufacturers to easily produce the desired outcome. Last, it would also be of value to have a manufacturing process to minimize waste.
The embodiments constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention overcome many of the deficiencies of prior art wavetop bags and provides an algorithm that takes into account one or more preferred bag construction traits for producing a bag structure that optimizes handle strength and promotes ease of folding over the upper handled portion. The bags may be efficaciously used to load and carry a variety of goods, while promoting their ability to stand up. The present invention's structure capitalizes on the displacement of stress at the most vulnerable handle and bottom region locations. Furthermore, it provides a process of manufacturing the same, including a means of total automation.
More specifically, the embodiments constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention may incorporate: 1) an upper portion structure that provides more material strength of a die-cut handle located therein; 2) an upper portion that is structured with shoulders that promote its ability to fold down and out of the way, thereby providing access to the bag mouth opening for easier loading; 3) an upper portion that also cooperates with a bottom region to promote “squaring out a bag bottom”, and; 4) stress displacement locations in its die-cut handle and at the two typical stress reception locations (SRLs) in the bag bottom.
The upper portion of at least one embodiment constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention may be designed with a flattened, wider top that provides more plastic material at the 10:00 and 2:00 handle stress points (HSPs) thereby optimizing the strength of a die-cut handle when carried in a user's hand. The die-cut handle constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention may be placed closer to the top of the bag, which when compared to a wavetop bag, reduces the amount of raw material required in order to have comparable handle strength. The bag is also somewhat more comfortable to carry, since the extra material directly above a traditional wavetop bag's die-cut handle bunches up in the user's hand, whereas in the embodiments constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention the extra material is towards the upper side edges of the top handle region. Moving the die-cut handle upward provides more usable capacity in the bag body, which is unlike a wavetop bag that requires the die-cut handle to be placed lower down on the upper portion, which then typically cuts into the bag body.
Complementing the flattened, wider top, the upper bag portion may also include flattened shoulders adjacent each side seal that are proportionally engineered to encourage the upper bag portion to fold down and out of the way in a desired location based on the bag bottom size. Folding the upper portion down and out of the way provides greater access to the bag mouth opening and is more versatile and able to be filled with a variety of goods. This upper portion structure also promotes the bag's ability to stand up, especially after it is filled with goods. It is important to note that not just any type of flattened top bag or one with shoulders will accomplish this desired outcome. In fact, the prior art bags do not teach this subject matter by illustration, reference, or inference.
Additional unique principles behind the effectiveness of the embodiments constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention are based on having an upper portion that is correctly proportioned to the size of the bag bottom, or bag bottom gusset, and sufficiently tall enough to be easily foldable. The wider top region on the upper portion with its extra plastic material at the 10:00 and 2:00 locations adjacent the die-cut handle cascades downward with generally steeper middle edges than traditional sinewave bags, then swiftly turns horizontal into two outer flattened bottom edges (horizontal shoulders), whereby foldability is improved.
As will be illustrated, the flattened shoulders are preferably one-fourth to one-half the width of the gusset. When correctly proportioned, the bags constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention not only stand up better, with handles that easily fold down, but such proportionality inherently positions the two handled stress points in a desirable juxtaposition with the two bottom stress points. This proportional design also creates an attractive appearance, one that “looks right”.
It is automatically assumed that paired handles like those on most plastic bags must be serviceable by users. Regardless of bag size, capacity, and bottom gusset area, the handles must meet in the top middle location in order for a user to comfortably carry the bag with one hand. It goes without saying that if a bag's handles are too short to span over the open mouth of the bag to meet and cover the contents, then it is not serviceable to carry a full load, or would require two hands to carry the bag; in other words, one hand on each individual handle. This is frequently the case with wavetop bags, loop handled shopping bags, and even handled paper bags. But unlike the prior art, the die-cut handle structure of the bags constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention will easily reach across the bag mouth and comfortably carry a full load.
Methods of constructing a flat topped bag using an algorithmic approach are also discussed herein.
All of the embodiments summarized above are intended to be within the scope of the invention herein disclosed. However, despite the discussion of certain embodiments herein, only the appended claims (and not the present summary) are intended to define the invention. The summarized embodiments, and other embodiments and aspects of the present invention, will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments having reference to the attached figures, the invention not being limited to any particular embodiment(s) disclosed.
In
In
With bag W under a load, such as when filled with a volume of goods,
As illustrated, the stress lines SP1 and SP2 in the plastic film connect the two die-cut handle stress points C1 and C2 with the lower SRL1 and SRL2 and form an A-shape appearance. As will be illustrated in more depth in the following figures, the major stress put on die-cut bag handles under heavy load, or bags that are continually reused, is generally speaking, somewhat perpendicular (arrows) to where the stress lines SP1 and SP2 meet at handle stress point (HSP) locations C1 and C2. In other words, to strengthen a die cut handle requires more film in the 10:00 and 2:00 locations, and not at the center bag top, as is commonly applied.
In
As discussed herein, it is essentially impossible to create a longer foldable handle to reach across a wider bag bottom on a traditional sinewave (wavetop) bag configuration without sacrificing handle strength. Then again, when the sinewave is shortened, the upper portions don't fold effectively and when the die cut handle is made strong enough for heavy loads, it cuts downward into the bag body, thereby sacrificing usable capacity.
In
While the bag 10 may be used in a wide variety of sizes for different applications, for purposes of explanation, only a bag that is size-appropriate to pack common household goods and groceries is discussed herein. Such a bag would typically measure 19″ wide×18″ tall, with a 7″ bottom gusset. The flattened bag top 22 of the upper portion 20 extends above bag body 40 by 6″ as measured from the dotted line 42, with the top 32 of the die-cut handle 30 located 2″ below flattened bag top 22, and about 4″ above bag body top 42. With this 4″ distance above bag body top 42 it is easy to see that when a full bag is carried by an end user, die-cut handles 30 and 30′ (
In
Overall, the configuration of the bag 10 illustrated in
In
As illustrated in
The overlay illustration in
In
In
In
There is an additional functional aspect of having the shoulders flattened in proper proportion to the bag bottom's size. That is, providing that any two adjacent flattened shoulders are about ½ or greater the size of the width of the bottom gusset, it tends to improve the bag's ability to “square out” on the bottom. While the use of prior art angle seals in bottom gussets is rather commonplace, angle seals used on bags constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention with the angle seals produces a rather impressive, and very flat bag bottom. Finding a bag bottom is important to bag packers and their ability to fill goods flatly on the bottom (and to fill it out), so that when the bag is picked up to be carried by a user, the goods don't fall over. To a user, this also helps present a superior bag for transporting goods home and maintain its stand-up ability. Overall, the ability to stand up a bag constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention with its foldable upper portions greatly simplifies the bag loading operation and subsequent use by users.
The size of the flattened shoulders may be somewhat shorter than indicated herein and still work fairly well, but optimum effectiveness is based on any two adjacent flattened shoulders being at least ½ the width of the bottom gusset. If substantially wider than ½ the bottom gusset width, then the upper portion may become too narrow and the stress lines forming between a bag's HSPs and the SRLs may actually cross over the upper portion's side edges, which would weaken the bag. Generally speaking, the steep middle outer edges cited in
In
Bags made in accordance with an upper portion that have a wider band of plastic at the critical HSPs at the 10:00 and 2:00 locations may have a variety of applications and uses. At times, it may not be desirable for the upper portions to reach “all the way across”, perhaps only part way. For example, with applications where it is understood that a bag may not be “filled to the top”, for whatever reason(s), it may be desirable to have a shorter upper portion. It may in fact, even be used to prohibit a user from overfilling a bag (in order to maintain its usability). As will be explained in
Bags constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention may be made on machinery similar to that used to manufacture sinusoidal wavetop bags, but with four turns per upper portion instead of only two like with prior art sinusoidal wavetop bags. In using such machinery, it is desirable to have a specific approach to each bag application in order to optimize bag performance and at the same time, optimize manufacturing efficiencies. In block diagram 5, an algorithm 600 for producing a bag constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention begins by first determining the bag application 610, then a bag body cube size 620 is calculated to accommodate the application and includes a bag bottom footprint 630 that becomes the bag bottom's dimensions, body height 640, die-cut handle location 650 relative to where they will meet above the contents, and last the overall upper portion height 660 determined by the strength requirements.
Generally speaking, bag application 610 usually comes from an end user who has specific requirements that may include determining a desired volume, or shape for goods to be loaded in the bag. It may also include certain weight strength, and/or rip and tear properties for the plastic film. The result of this first evaluation is to then calculate the desired bag body cube 620 that can suitably envelope, contain, the intended contents for the reasons desired. The bag cube 620 is first based on calculating a desired footprint 630 that will allow the contents to stand up, fill out, be stacked in a predetermined number of layers, capable of being loaded in a certain manner afterward, or perhaps mimic the sizing of some other bag application. For example, mimicking the size of a traditional paper grocery sack, which footprint measures 12″ wide by 7″ deep. Once the desired footprint is established, the next step is to determine an adequate body height 640, which usually consists of extending past the top of the contents by a predetermined distance, however far it may.
With the bag cube 620 now determined with a desired footprint 630 and a desired height 640, the next step is to determine how far above the front and rear bag walls, the die-cut handles ought to be located. This calculation is based on the specific location of the top of the die-cut handles where they will be used for carrying and the distance the two opposing handle tops will be required to span in order for them to have the desired utility. Throughout this discourse and the specifications, the illustrated handles have circular, round, at least on the upper half. The reason for this is because round handles, or those with a round upper half, are the strongest type of die-cut handles for plastic film. Alternative race track handles are the least desirable as they are vulnerable to breakage at the two outer, upward locations. The tight outer circle of a racetrack handle create a direct stress point in the worst possible locations, right at the HSPs at the 10:00 and 2:00 locations, which likewise is located closer to a bag top's outer edges creating a narrower CVR strips of film. In addition to round die-cut handles, those types with round upper halves like those described and shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,338,118, which is hereby incorporated by reference, also have superior attribute that promote the largest amount of CVR material as possible. Thus, in this discourse, only those generally known in the trade as shapes with the strongest physical characteristics are used, albeit, the algorithm applies to all types, with the understanding that the bags still need to sustain the desired weight strength characteristics. For all practical purposes the actual locations of the two HSPs in a round die-cut handle would be located about ½″ below the top of the die-cut handle, thus that dimensions is best included as a standard when making this calculation and added to the required distance. It will be appreciated that the algorithm disclosed herein for constructing bags with improved handle strength, carrying capacity, handle folding and stand-up ability take into account one or more preferred bag construction traits including, but not limited to, the size of bag bottom or footprint, the capacity of the bag, the intended use of the bag, the flattened shoulder lengths or widths, the flattened top length or width, the material used, the thickness of bag material, the gusset size and location, stress reception locations (SRLs), handle stress points (HSPs), and/or critical stress locations (CVRs), resulting in a preferred location of the handle within the upper portions of the bag.
One non-limiting example to illustrate a desired handle location 650 is to begin with a desired bag cube of 12″×7″×12″ height, which has a bottom footprint of 12″33 7″ (in the form of a bottom gusset), and can then be determined that if the bag is to be filled to the top of its 12″ height, then the tops of the die-cut handles would be at the very least ½″ the depth of the bottom gusset, plus one half inch. In this example, the handle tops would be located 4″ (½ of 7″+½″) above and beyond the 12″ height of the body. A single hand inserted in the two die-cut handles would require stretching them to their extent across the 7″ span. As a point of interest, once a hand is inserted into two die-cut handles and then carries a load of say 10 pounds, those handles will naturally stretch about an additional ½″. Therefore, with this specific example, the formula ultimately works out to be one that provides for handles that can easily carry, and span the open bag mouth distance of a filled bag, and comfortably be carried in a single hand. For comfortably carrying goods as described herein, one exemplary reliable formula for ensuring the bag handles may be brought together and carried in one hand with the bag filled to capacity or less than capacity may be something like this: Die-cut handle top location (650)=½ the bottom gusset depth+½″.
The last determinant for bags constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention is to determine the overall upper portion height 660, which is based on the amount of plastic above the two HSPs on the die-cut handles and/or the top center of the die-cut handles. This added distance is primarily based on one of two factors: First, determine the handle strength requirements, and, second; if it is desirable to have the upper portion foldable. Handle strength requirements are based first on film type, thickness, and at times film orientation. Once the handle type and film properties are established, the next step is to add the extra amount of film required to have a CVR sufficient wide to carry the weight of the contents. Generally speaking different film types and grades will have different sets of measurements. The example to be used with the 12″×7″×12″ cube bag with the HSTs extending 4″ above the bag body top, and made for use as a reusable bag of a 2.25 mil thickness, would require a CVR measurement of 3″ when used with reasonably high-quality film made from linear low density, high density, or a blend of the two resins. This measurement puts the amount of plastic located directly above the die-cut handle top center at about a 1¾″ distance. Over time, a database will be filled up that automatically calculates these measurements, and a simple formula may be applied.
The second half of this calculation relies on whether or not the top center portion may be sufficiently flattened in order to allow the bag design to have shoulders that are large enough to promote foldability at the bag body's top edge. With the same example of the 12″×7″×12″ cube bag body, an upper portion with a 3″ CVR, the flat top portion could then safely be little as 1½″ above the top center of the die-cut handle. In such a calculation, and based on the location of the perpendicular CVRs juxtaposed from the A-shaped stress lines (
Other variations on the theme of a desired algorithm may be somewhat the opposite. By starting with the height of the upper handled portion and making the HSPs a height equal to ½ of the bottom gusset width plus ½″, and then providing a sufficient CVR strength width to reliably carry the desired load. Then determining the overall height of the upper portion, and moving backwards to create suitable shoulder measurements and so on. The versatility of applying the algorithm is not restricted solely the sequence of steps cited herein.
When determining the CVR dimensions, other factors play a part, such as, for example, whether the bags would be overloaded with goods that may stick out of the top of the bag. Other factors may include, but are not limited to, a determination of whether it is desirable to add an additional inch to the upper portion and die-cut handle location to carry an overloaded bag with a single hand or whether the uses are generally lighter weight, such as carrying 2-3 dinner containers from a restaurant.
Once the algorithm 600 is fully calculated manually or with assistance of a machine by the elected means, the only remaining element is to determine if a little extra consideration might be given to make the physical properties a bit stronger, or that might give the bag an appearance that might be perceived as a preferable.
As illustrated in the prior art patents discussed above in the Background, the approach used by plastic bag manufacturers to produce the prior art bags has been based on bag machinery specifications, production processes and efficiencies, frequently with little regard for a desired size based on functionality. Case in point is the large number of wavetop bags and imported loop handle bags used in the reusable bag market that have dimensions that make the bags difficult to load, and when loaded, the contents fall over. The prior art bag dimensions may have been suitable for use in foreign markets, or with soft goods, but trying to use the same dimensions for common grocery assortments is erroneous. In fact it is an attempt to force a manufacturing driven mentality into what ought to be a customer-driven application. It goes without saying the best approach for a reusable bag footprint ought to be based on the common, everyday paper grocery sack, which everyone knows how to load and whose contents have been tailored to fit inside for over 100 years.
Illustrating the folly of the manufacture-driven approach are plastic T-shirt style bags that have traditionally been made smaller and smaller as a means to lower the per unit price. Unfortunately, supermarkets end up using many more of the smaller bags, with an end result that usually raises overall costs, and increases labor. To confirm, a primary objective of the algorithm for constructing bags in accordance with the principles of the present invention is to disregard these types of manufacturing-driven and per unit price-driven shenanigans and correctly focus on the desired bag cube size and a usable capacity that correctly serves the intended objective among others, as further illustrated in
In
After defining the upper portion of a bag, it would then cut and seal them into individual bags 740. Further downstream, the individual bags would be stacked and assemble into bag packs 750 and may then be interconnected by a pressure and or die cutting operation, with the intention of creating self-opening bags for dispensing. Last the bag packs may be inserted into a dispenser carton, dispenser bag, or common RSC carton 760.
Regardless of the variations used to construct bags based on one or more elements and algorithmic methods taught in accordance with the principles of the present invention, there are specific benefits related to their use as illustrated herein. All in all, the benefits include, but are not limited to, stronger bag handles, bags that are easier to use; square-out, stand up, load, and carry afterward. Not limited to that is the reduction in raw material requirements to produce same-as quality, a better looking bag, and ultimately, one that can be made at low cost with very little scrap. Plastic bag manufacturers tend to be referred to as “pound farmers” and when a producer can cut raw material costs, even as little as 2%-3%, it represents a substantial profit increase. When the functionality of the bag with the lesser raw material is the preferred bag by users, these factors only add to the ease of marketing and selling same.
Consistent with the spirit of the present invention, bags made with an upper portion that has a wider band of plastic at the critical stress locations (CVRs) at the 10:00 and 2:00 locations, that may likewise cooperate in other ways to the bags performance may be made in accordance with the various individual features disclosed herein in accordance with the principles of the present invention or in combination and based on a manufacturing algorithm, and using various types of manufacturing methodologies. The spirit of the present invention provides a breadth of scope that includes all of these variations regardless of bag size, gauge, construction or upper portion configuration. It also covers broad methodologies of automating, partially or in whole, the algorithmic methods that produce bags that are configured based on the teachings of the present invention and various embodiments thereof. Any variation on the theme and methodology of accomplishing the same that are not described herein would be considered under the scope of the present invention.
Certain numerical ranges, capacities, and ratios have been mentioned in this description but are meant to be exemplary in nature and non-limiting.
Certain objects and advantages of the invention are described herein. Of course, it is to be understood that not necessarily all such objects or advantages may be achieved in accordance with any particular embodiment of the invention. Thus, for example, those skilled in the art will recognized that the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other objects or advantages as may be taught or suggested herein.
It is also contemplated that various combinations or sub-combinations of the specific features and aspects of the embodiments may be made and still fall within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that various features and aspects of the disclosed embodiments may be combined with or substituted for one another in order to form varying modes of the disclosed invention. Thus, it is intended that the scope of the present invention herein disclosed should not be limited by the particular disclosed embodiments described above.
Although this invention has been disclosed in the context of certain preferred embodiments and examples, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention extends beyond the specifically disclosed embodiments to other alternative embodiments and/or uses of the invention and obvious modifications and equivalents thereof. In addition, while a number of variations of the invention have been shown and described in detail, other modifications, which are within the scope of this invention, will be readily apparent to those of skill in the art based upon this disclosure.
The detailed description and the drawings or figures are supportive and descriptive of the present teachings, but the scope of the present teachings is defined solely by the claims. While some of the best modes and other embodiments for carrying out the present teachings have been described in detail, various alternative designs and embodiments exist for practicing the present teachings defined in the appended claims.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Application No. 62/395,534, filed on Sep. 16, 2016, entitled Algorithmic Construction of a Plastic Bag, and which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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62395534 | Sep 2016 | US |