Patent Application
20080240626
The present invention relates to a bag or pouch construction. In particular, it relates to a bag intended to be filled with dispersible materials, wherein the bag has a flat bottom with apertures therein and a removable layer closing the apertures until use.
A wide variety of items comprise materials which, in use, are dispersed or spread over an area. Many of these items include dry powder or particulate materials. The term “dispersible materials” as used herein is intended at least to include pellets, grains, powders, and any combinations thereof. Examples of these include, but are not limited to, icing salts, seeds, insecticides, chalk, etc.
Some improved arrangements for spreading particulate materials have been disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,882,120 and 5,709,479. However, the arrangements have several problems relative to the particular usage to which the present invention is directed.
The prior art bag arrangements are difficult to store and arrange because the bottom portion does not have a design which allows the bags to stand upright. A storage bag which stands upright for product storage and point-of-sale display is desirable because such a bag arrangement provides an easier method of storing and stacking for distributors and retail merchants.
Additionally, the prior art bag arrangements are not easily filled since they have limited expandability along the sides and bottom portion. This results in less volume and amount of material being filled into the bag. Also, the rib-and-trough closure system of prior art bag arrangements is expensive to manufacture and interferes with a bottom arrangement which would allow the bag to stand upright. Furthermore, often particulate materials become stuck inside the trough portions of the closure system. Undesirably, this may cause a lack of a good seal which can lead to leaks and/or contamination of the particulate material therein.
Accordingly, an improvement is sought which would be simpler and yet allow a bag to stand upright, while also providing for dispersability when desired.
The bag construction of the present invention is directed to a bag or pouch for dispersing dispersible material. The bag has first and second panel sections, first and second side gusset panel sections, and a bottom gusset panel section. The various panel sections are fastened together to form a generally rectangular shape with flat bottom. The bottom gusset panel section has one or more distribution apertures in it. A removable panel layer is provided for covering the one or more apertures. The removable panel layer is removably fastened to the outer surface of the bottom gusset panel section.
When the bag construction of the present invention is used, the removable panel layer covering the one or more apertures is removed to uncover the one or more apertures. In that way, dispersable material can be dispersed through the one or more apertures.
In a further embodiment, a tape section or other fastening mechanism is provided so that following use of the bag construction where there has been dispersion so that some of the dispersible material has been removed from the bag, the bottom gusset panel is folded or rolled from one of its edges toward the opposite edge so that the apertures are covered. The tape section or other fastening mechanism is then used to fasten one of the panel sections to either the bottom gusset panel section or the other of the panel sections.
In this way, a simple and efficient bag construction is formed which provides for upright display, easy uncovering of apertures in the bottom gusset section so that dispersion can take place and, in a further embodiment, a mechanism for covering the one or more apertures so that the dispersible material can be further stored and used again.
The present invention is now described relative to the drawings wherein the same numerals are used to designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views and embodiments. A bag construction in accordance with the present invention is shown in the figures as numeral 10. With reference to
The first and second panel sections 14,16 each have bottom and top edges 24,26 and opposite side edges 28,30. Likewise, first and second side gusset panel sections 18,20 each have bottom and top edges 32,34 and opposite side edges 36,38. Bottom gusset panel section has opposite edges 40,42, meeting with the edges of the first and second panel sections and opposite edges 44,46 mating with the edges of the first and second side gusset panel sections 18,20.
One of the side panel edges of each of the first and second panel sections 14,16 is fastened to one of the side gusset edges of each of the first and second gusset sections 18,20. Each of the bottom panel edges of the first and second panel sections 14,16 and bottom gusset edges of the first and second side gusset panel sections 18,20 are fastened to a different one of the edges of the bottom gusset panel section 22 to form inner and outer surfaces 50,52 of the bottom gusset panel section 22.
In areas where the edges are fastened to one another, the fastening mechanism preferably comprises heat sealing. The seals in this regard are conventional, such as those illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,059,036; U.S. Pat. No. 5,147,272; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,254,073, incorporated herein by reference.
Referring again to the figures, bag construction 10 is closed at the top end after filling and then includes an upper flap 54. Upper flap 54 has a handle aperture 56 therein. Before flap 54 is created, dispersable material 12 is filled into bag 10. (Shown in
Bottom gusset panel section 22 is perforated, as illustrated by distribution apertures 66, as shown particularly in
Removable panel layer 68 is affixed to outer surface 52 of bottom gusset panel section 22. Panel layer 68 covers apertures 66 and prevents leakage of dispersible material 12 from bag 10 before it is desired to disperse material 12.
A releasable adhesive having a width of about 0.375 inches is applied as appropriate to the outer surface 62 of bottom gusset panel section 22 and panel layer 68 is affixed thereto during the manufacture of bag construction 10. Alternatively, the adhesive may be applied to panel layer 68. An appropriate releasable adhesive is ______ and can be obtained from ______.
In the embodiment of
Pouch arrangements according to the present invention may be provided with a variety of outer dimensions, depending on the intended use.
Pouch arrangements according to the present invention may be manufactured from a variety of materials. It is particularly advantageous, however, that they be constructed from relatively thin, strong material such as polyester biaxially oriented nylon linear low density polyethylene (PET/BON/LLDPE) film. Preferred embodiments which are particularly useful, and which include advantages according to the present invention, may be constructed wherein the first and second panel sections 14,16 and the first and second gusset panel sections 18,20 comprise first and second sheets of PET/BON/LLDPE 3-ply, each having a thickness within a range of about 7 mils. Similar material may be utilized for the base gusset (with appropriate apertures or slits therein). Preferably heat sealable film is utilized, so that the means for securing the various panel sections to each another, and securing the bottom gusset section in place, is by heat seals without the need for additional adhesive.
The film materials are available in 3 substrates and are laminated together in a conventional adhesive lamination process. The polyester substrate has an adhesive applied, then the nylon substrate is applied. The polyester substrate and nylon substrate are laminated together. This resulting layer is coated with the linear low density polyethylene substrate, and then laminated together.
The first substrate, polyester, is available from DuPont. The second substrate, biaxially oriented nylon, is available from Allied Signal. The third substrate, linear low density polyethylene, is available from Consolidated Thermoplastics of Chippewa Falls, Wis.
In use, the top of bag 10 is open and dispersible material 12 is directed into the bag as shown in
When dispersion of dispersible material 12 is desired, removable panel 68 is removed. Bag 10 is held by the handle aperture 56 and the bag is appropriately moved over the area where dispersion is desired.
When sufficient dispersion has been applied, the bag is tipped upside down and bottom gusset panel section 22 is folded or rolled from one of its edges toward an opposite of its edges so that all apertures are covered. Tape section 70 is removed from first panel section 14. Tape section 70 is then fastened to one of first and second panel sections 14,16 and to a portion of either bottom gusset panel section 22 or the other of first and second panel sections 14,16, as shown in
A second embodiment is illustrated in
In use, when dispersion of dispersible material 12 is desired, panel layer 102 is pulled away from bottom gusset panel section 22 at the edges 106,108,110 held by adhesive and is folded about the heat seal at edge 104. As shown in
After some dispersion has been accomplished, but there still remains some dispersible material 12 in bag 100, bottom gusset panel section 22 can be folded and panel layer 102 extended beyond bottom gusset panel section 22 opposite edge 104 panel layer 102 having the heat seal, so that edge 108 can contact and adhere to first panel section 116 as shown in
Methodology for manufacturing bag constructions of the general technology type of the present invention is described and illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,059,036; U.S. Pat. No. 5,147,272; U.S. Pat. No. 5,254,073, all of which are incorporated by reference herein. The methods are modified effectively to provide for application of releasable adhesive and heat sealing affixing the removable panel layer to the bottom gusset panel section and otherwise accommodating the use of the removable panel layer as disclosed herein.
It is noted that Totani Giken Kogyo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan produces machines which can be utilized to manufacture bags in accordance with the present invention.
Preferred embodiments have been described. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope of the invention as claimed and disclosed, including the full scope of equivalents thereof.
