Flexible, Plastic Bag Having a Resizable Storage Space

Abstract

A flexible, plastic bag has a resizable storage space which includes reclosable internal compartments. The bag includes a body portion having first and second opposing bag walls. Each of the bag walls has first and second wall portions with internal surfaces. The bag also includes first and second reclosure mechanisms on the internal surfaces of the wall portions. The reclosure mechanisms are spaced apart and at least partially define the reclosable, internal compartments. The bag further includes first and second overlapping tear seams separating and connecting the first and second portions of the first and second bag walls, respectively and located adjacent the second reclosure mechanism between the reclosure mechanisms to allow the first portions of the first and second walls to be completely severed from the second portions of the first and second walls along a prescribed tear pattern delineated by the tear seams.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

At least one embodiment of the present invention generally relates to flexible plastic bags and, in particular, to such bags which have a resizable storage space.

OVERVIEW

As described in published U.S. Patent Application No. 2011/0211773, a package, such as a package made of flexible material, is commonly used to store items during transportation, storage, and consumption by a user. A common type of prior package is mass-produced from a web of film material. The web is formed into a continuous tube by sealing the longitudinal edges of the web together. This continuous tubular package can then be singulated into smaller packages by sealing and cutting transversely across the tubular package in the region of the transverse seals.

Commonly, prior packages initially store the items within a sealed interior cavity prior to purchase by a consumer. The consumer can then break one of the seals or remove a corner of the package to access the interior cavity and the items therein. One issue that arises after the initial breaking is how to effectively reclose the package. Reclosing can be achieved by using interlocking zipper strips, including those with a slider mechanism, such as discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,007,143. This solution, however, is limited to reclosing the package along the zipper strips at the top of the package, which results in headspace created as the items are removed. Furthermore, the cost of adding the zipper strips can increase the cost of the package.

If a package is provided without a reclose feature, a common practice is to fold the edges of the package over to reduce the headspace above the items and close the broken seal. A clip can then be applied over the folded material to hold the package in this closed state. This practice, however, often does not sufficiently close the package and if the consumer does not have a clip, the package can unfold and fully expose the items.

As described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,517,609, flexible containers are known for containing food products. Such containers typically have a bag-like structure made from a folded web or tube of thermoplastic film material. The bag-like structures have a sealed bottom and a sealed top, with the food product stored inside the air-filled bag. The sealed top is typically reclosable or resealable so that unconsumed food product can be stored in the container.

Flexible bag containers have proven popular for use with fragile, lightweight food products, such as potato chips and popcorn. Because such food products are lightweight, the bags often are large to accommodate sufficient food product for multiple servings. The larger, multiple serving bag sizes often have a seal that opens to form a resealable or a reclosable closure that allows the bag to be used until the contents are completely removed.

U.S. Pat. No. 8,517,609 discloses a container, or package, that is separable for resizing the container after the contents are partially consumed. One or more mid-package separable seals are positioned between the top and bottom of a package. The seal in the sealed configuration flexibly provides package integrity with an air-tight seal and connection. In the operated configuration, the seal separates the package into two sections, allowing the package to assume a size that is suitable for the volume of material remaining. In one embodiment, the mid-package separable seal includes a sealing strip that is adhesively attached to the outside of the package and covers a tear line/strip formed in the material of the package. Removal of the sealing strip allows the tear line to separate the package into two sections. In one embodiment, a connecting strip is attached to two sections of the package and the connecting strip has an integral tear line.

As described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,932,509, reclosable storage bags are well known, especially with regard to food storage. The bags are generally made out of a plastic film and have two side walls which are sealed around the edges. Such material is fluid impermeable, relatively inexpensive, and can be manufactured in transparent form thereby facilitating content identification. Accordingly, plastic bags have become the dominant product of choice in the area of food storage bags.

Other related U.S. patent documents include the following: 6,929,127 and 2017/0217641.

Such bags are typically reclosable and substantially sealable. One common approach to provide such features employs closure members at a top edge of a bag having first and second thermoplastic layers folded or heat sealed along bottom and first and second side edges. The closure members may be provided in the form of mating male and female profiles such as those under the ZIPLOC® trademark. The male and female profiles are also typically manufactured from plastic, with the male profile including a linear tab adapted to be interlocked with a linear groove of the female profile.

U.S. Published Application No. 2015/0117798 discloses a flexible polymeric pouch includes first and second walls in opposed relationship to form a storage space therebetween and having lateral sides, a top, and a bottom opposed to the top. A first closure is disposed on at least one of the first and second walls near the top and a second closure is disposed on the first and second walls between the first closure and the bottom. The first and second closures are spaced apart a sufficient distance to permit a user to independently open and close each of the first and second closures. The first closure is reclosable to open and close the storage space and the second closure is reclosable so that the second closure is opened and closed to selectively divide the single storage space into separate first and second storage compartments.

A problem associated with the above-noted pouch is that in order for a user to access the lower storage compartment, the user must first access one or more upper storage compartments from an opening at the top portion of the pouch. This may be cumbersome and prevent the user from having ready access to the lower storage compartment. Also, the hand of the user may become soiled or dirty through contact with the inner surfaces of the upper storage compartment(s) depending on what was stored in the upper storage compartment(s).

SUMMARY OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

An object of at least one embodiment of the present invention is to provide a flexible, plastic bag having a resizable storage space which includes reclosable, internal compartments wherein the storage space of the bag can be resized via overlapping tear seams to accommodate the quantity of product such as a consumable product remaining in the bag after partial removal of the product from the bag.

Another object of at least one embodiment of the present invention is to provide a flexible, plastic bag having a resizable storage space which includes reclosable, internal compartments wherein the storage space of the bag can be resized via overlapping tear seams to accommodate a food product, such as chips, nuts, raisins, crackers, popcorn and the like in which the bag contents are not consumed with the opening of the bag and it is desired to reclose the bag to store the remainder for subsequent consumption.

In carrying out the above objects and other objects of the present invention, a flexible plastic bag having a resizable storage space is provided. The bag includes a body portion having first and second opposing bag walls. Each of the bag walls having first and second wall portions with internal surfaces. The bag also includes first and second reclosure mechanisms on the internal surfaces of the wall portions. The first and second reclosure mechanisms are spaced apart and at least partially define first and second reclosable, internal compartments, respectively. The bag further includes first and second overlapping tear seams which separate and connect the first and second portions of the first and second bag walls, respectively. The tear seams are located adjacent the second reclosure mechanism between the reclosure mechanisms to allow the first portions of the first and second walls to be completely severed from the second portions of the first and second walls along a prescribed tear pattern delineated by the tear seams. The storage space is thus resized.

The bag may further include a tear strip located adjacent the first reclosure mechanism to provide an opening into the bag.

The prescribed tear pattern may be a generally straight-line pattern.

Each of the tear seams may be a single continuous tear seam.

The reclosure mechanisms may be substantially parallel.

The first reclosure mechanism may have male and female closure portions disposed on the first wall portions of the first and second bag walls, respectively.

The second reclosure mechanism may have male and female closure portions disposed on the second wall portions of the first and second bag walls, respectively.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective, environmental view of a flexible, substantially transparent, plastic bag constructed in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present invention and storing or holding a plurality of consumable food items shown in phantom in a storage space within the bag;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the bag of FIG. 1 without the food items;

FIG. 3 is a view, partially broken away and in cross-section, of the bag taken along lines 3-3 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the bag with food items of FIG. 1 together with a human hand in the process of removing an upper tear strip (as indicated by an arrow) to permit access to the food items within the storage space through an upper opening in the bag;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to the view of FIG. 4 but with the human hand holding three food items which have been removed from the bag through the opening as now allowed after removal of the upper tear strip from the bag;

FIG. 6 is a front elevational view of the bag with a human hand in the process of removing or severing upper portions or a stage of the bag walls (as indicated by an arrow) after removal of food items from the now empty, upper internal compartment of the bag; and

FIG. 7 is a front elevational view of the bag with the severed upper portion of the bag now totally removed from the bag and the remaining food items now sealed in a lower inner compartment of the bag for consumption at a later time.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 4, a reclosable pouch in the form of a flexible, thermoplastic, storage bag, generally indicated at 10, comprises a body portion, generally indicated at 12, including first and second bag walls 14 and 16, respectively. The first and second bag walls 14 and 16 are joined at first and second side edges 18 and 20, respectively, and at a bottom edge 22. Each of the bag walls 14 and 16 include upper and lower portions 15 and 17. An opening 24 is disposed at a top edge 26 of the bag 10 for removal of food items 60 from the bag 10.

A first reclosure mechanism, generally indicated at 28, and two lips 30 (FIG. 1) are also disposed at the top edge 26 to facilitate separation of the bag walls 14 and 16 from each other. The first reclosure mechanism 28 is disposed between a second reclosure mechanism, generally indicated at 34, and the top edge 26 of the bag 10. The second reclosure mechanism 34 is disposed between the first reclosure mechanism 28 and the bottom edge 22 (approximately ½ way but could vary between ⅓ to ⅔ of the way).

Referring specifically to FIG. 3, male and female closure elements or portions 38 and 40, respectively, of the first reclosure mechanism 28 are disposed on opposing internal sides or surfaces 42 and 44 of the first and second bag walls 14 and 16, respectively. In addition, male and female elements or portions 46 and 48 of the second reclosure mechanism 34 are disposed on the internal sides or surfaces 50 and 52, respectively, of the first and second bag walls 14 and 16. Preferably, although not necessarily, the first reclosure mechanism 28 is substantially parallel to the second reclosure mechanism 34 and the two are spaced from one another by a distance that is sufficiently large to define first and second reclosable, internal compartments 54 and 56, respectively, which allow the bag 10 and its storage space to be resized to accommodate a quantity of product such as the consumable food items 60 remaining in the bag 10 after partial removal of the food item 60 from the bag 10.

Preferably, the reclosure elements or portions 38, 40, 46 and 48 have a cross sectional shape as shown in FIG. 3 and/or may be formed in accordance with the teachings of Geiger, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,755,248, Zieke et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,789, and/or Porchia et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,012,561, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein.

A tear strip 62 is located adjacent the first reclosure mechanism 28 to provide the opening 24 into the bag 10 when removed as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

Referring again to FIG. 3, the bag walls 14 and 16 include first and second tear seams 64 and 66, respectively, which separate and connect the upper and lower portions 15 and 17 of the first and second bag walls 14 and 16, respectively. The tear seams 64 and 66 are located adjacent the second reclosure mechanism 34 and between the mechanisms 28 and 34 to allow the first portions 15 of the first and second walls 14 and 16 to be completely severed from the second portions 17 of the first and second walls 14 and 16 along a prescribed tear pattern, delineated by the tear seams 64 and 66 as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. In this way, the storage space within the bag 10 is resizable. The tear pattern is preferably a straight-line pattern and each of the tear seams 64 and 66 is preferably a single, continuous tear seam.

While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, the features of various implementing embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of the invention.

Claims

1. A flexible, plastic bag having a resizable storage space, the bag comprising: a body portion having first and second opposing bag walls, each of the bag walls having first and second wall portions with internal surfaces;first and second reclosure mechanisms on the internal surfaces of the wall portions, the first and second reclosure mechanisms being spaced apart and at least partially defining first and second reclosable, internal compartments, respectively; andfirst and second overlapping tear seams separating and connecting the first and second portions of the first and second bag walls, respectively, and located adjacent the second reclosure mechanism between the reclosure mechanisms to allow the first portions of the first and second walls to be completely severed from the second portions of the first and second walls along a prescribed tear pattern delineated by the tear seams wherein the storage space is resizable.

2. The bag as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a tear strip located adjacent the first reclosure mechanism to provide an opening into the bag.

3. The bag as claimed in claim 1, wherein the prescribed tear pattern is a generally straight-line pattern.

4. The bag as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the tear seams is a single continuous tear seam.

5. The bag as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reclosure mechanisms are substantially parallel.

6. The bag as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first reclosure mechanism has male and female closure portions disposed on the first wall portions of the first and second bag walls.

7. The bag as claimed in claim 6, wherein the second reclosure mechanism has male and female closure portions disposed on the second wall portions of the first and second bag walls, respectively.