Folded thermoplastic bag structure

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6196717
  • Patent Number
    6,196,717
  • Date Filed
    Tuesday, February 29, 2000
    24 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, March 6, 2001
    23 years ago
Abstract
A method of forming a plurality of easy to open handle bags including the steps ofproviding a flattened tube of thermoplastic material oriented in a generally longitudinal direction. The flattened tube has a first longitudinal side edge and a second longitudinal side edge, a transverse lower heat seal, and a transverse upper heat seal. The tube also has first, second, and third sections. The second section being disposed between the first and third sections. The first section is joined to the second section along a generally longitudinal first fold line. The second section is joined to the third section along a generally longitudinal second fold line. The second section is cut along a generally transverse first cut line extending between the first and second fold lines. The first section is folded over the second section along the first fold line. The third section is folded over the previously folded-over first section along the second fold line such that the first, second, and third sections overlap one another. The overlapped first, second, and third sections are cut along a generally longitudinal second cut line that intersects the first cut line, the first fold line, and the second side edge at one end and intersects the upper heat seal at the other end. The overlapped first, second, and third sections are then cut along a generally longitudinal third cut line that intersects the first cut line, the second fold line, and the first side edge at one end and intersects the upper heat seal at the other end.
Description




FIELD OF THE INVENTION




The present invention relates generally to the field of thermoplastic bags. More particularly, it concerns thermoplastic handle bags having a T-shirt configuration.




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




For many years, thermoplastic bags have been widely used for a number of household and industrial purposes. Many bags have a simple rectangular structure comprising two layers of thermoplastic film heat sealed at the bag bottom, folded sides and an open top. This simple structure has been adapted to form a wide variety of sizes and configurations that vary with the intended uses of the bags.




In recent years, bag manufacturers have developed new types of thermoplastic bags such as, for example, draw tape bags, handle bags, and bags with protruding top edges. These different bag types provide the user with different advantages such as being able to easily close, tie and/or identify a bag. However, the easy to open, use and close handle bags have traditionally required expensive and complicated manufacturing procedures. Furthermore, handle bag manufacturers have experienced cost reduction pressure from other products and, as a result of their cost reduction efforts, new product configurations have been developed. These new handle bag configurations have decreased the manufacturing costs of the product but have also made the resulting bags more difficult to open and use.




For example, one existing low cost handle bag configuration is produced by starting with a thin thermoplastic film tube that is transversely heat sealed to form individual bags. The edges of tube are then longitudinally folded inward so that the edges are adjacent to the middle of the bag. The tube is then folded again about its middle thereby forming four overlapped bag sections comprising eight layers of thermoplastic material. A corner of the bag is then removed to form the handles and bag mouth. Such a manufacturing process is described and illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,790,467.




However, the above described manufacturing process makes the resulting handle bag difficult and time consuming to use. A user must unfold the second middle fold and then the first quarter folds in sequence before being able to open the bag.




Consequently, these deficiencies have created a need for an inexpensive and efficient method of manufacturing handle bags that are easy to open, use and close.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a low cost method of forming handle bags that are easy and less time consuming to open, use and close.




In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a handle bag that is easy to open, use and close.




In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method that involves less folding than prior methods to form a handle bag.




These and other objects of the invention are provided by a method of forming a plurality of easy to open handle bags including the steps of providing a flattened tube of thermoplastic material oriented in a generally longitudinal direction. The flattened tube has a first longitudinal side edge and a second longitudinal side edge, a transverse lower heat seal, and a transverse upper heat seal. The tube also has first, second, and third sections. The second section being disposed between the first and third sections. The first section is joined to the second section along a generally longitudinal first fold line. The second section is joined to the third section along a generally longitudinal second fold line. The second section is cut along a generally transverse first cut line extending between the first and second fold lines. The first section is folded over the second section along the first fold line. The third section is folded over the previously folded-over first section along the second fold line such that the first, second, and third sections overlap one another. The overlapped first, second, and third sections are cut along a generally longitudinal second cut line that intersects the first cut line, the first fold line, and the second side edge at one end and intersects the upper heat seal at the other end. The overlapped first, second, and third sections are then cut along a generally longitudinal third cut line that intersects the first cut line, the second fold line, and the first side edge at one end and intersects the upper heat seal at the other end.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS




The following drawings form part of the present specification and are included to further demonstrate certain aspects of the present invention. The invention may be better understood by reference to one or more of these drawings in combination with the detailed description of specific embodiments presented herein.





FIG. 1

is a plan view of a collapsed thermoplastic tube;





FIG. 2



a


is a plan view of the tube of

FIG. 1

after it has been folded in thirds;





FIG. 2



b


is a cross-sectional view taken along line


2




b





2




b


in

FIG. 2



a


showing a portion of the collapsed tube and a transverse cut;





FIG. 2



b


is a cross-sectional view taken along line


2




c





2




c


in

FIG. 2



a


showing how the collapsed tube is folded;





FIG. 3

is a perspective view of the tube of

FIG. 1

being folded into the tube of

FIG. 2



a;


and





FIG. 4

is a plan view of the tube of

FIG. 2



a


after it has been unfolded.











DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS




Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to

FIG. 1

, there is shown a collapsed thermoplastic tube


5


traveling in a longitudinal direction


8


. The collapsed tube


5


includes an opposing top and bottom layer of thermoplastic film. Each opposing layer may comprise one or more layers of thermoplastic material. The transverse direction


9


is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal direction


8


in which the thermoplastic tube


5


moves. The thermoplastic material used can be any thermoplastic material well known to one of ordinary skill in the art and as more specifically detailed herein below. The tube


5


includes a plurality of interconnected bag forming segments


10


. Each bag forming segment


10


includes a pair of opposing longitudinal side edges


14


and


16


. Adjacent bag forming segments


10


are separated from each other by transverse heat seals


11


and


12


. Each bag forming segment


10


comprises a first, second and third section


50


,


52


and


54


, respectively. The second section


52


is disposed between the first section


50


and the third section


54


. The first section


50


is joined to the second section


52


along a generally longitudinal first fold line


22


. The second section


52


is joined to the third section


54


along a generally longitudinal second fold line


24


.




The method of forming a plurality of interconnected handle bags begins by forming a transverse lower heat seal


11


and a transverse upper heat seal


12


for each bag forming segment


10


. To form the heat seals


11


and


12


, the tube


5


travels through a sealing station where pairs of transverse heat seals


11


and


12


are formed across the tube


5


. The opposing thermoplastic layers of the tube


5


are thermally fused to each other along the heat seals


11


and


12


at about bag-length distances apart. Alternatively, one broad heat seal may replace the heat seals


11


and


12


. This broad heat seal may then either be perforated or severed, as described below, to produce the same results described herein.




The method proceeds by cutting the second section


52


along a generally transverse first cut line


32


that extends between the first fold line


22


and the second fold line


24


. The tube


5


is cut at a cutting station that includes a cutting instrument that operates to sever both layers of the tube


5


at cut line


32


. Referring now to

FIGS. 1 and 2



a,


the method continues by longitudinally folding the first section


50


over the second section


52


along the first fold line


22


. Then, the third section


54


is folded over the folded-over first section


50


along the second fold line


24


such that the first, second, and third sections


50


,


52


and


54


, overlap one another and comprise a total of six layers of thermoplastic material.




Referring now to

FIG. 2



a,


the bag forming segments


10


are weakened between the heat seals


11


and


12


at line of weakness


18


. The transverse lines of weakness


18


are created between the upper heat seal


11


of one segment and the lower heat seal


12


of an adjacent segment to form separable bags and to facilitate removal of sections


40


,


42


and


44


, as described below. The lines of weakness


18


may be in the form of perforations, thinned lines, scored lines, etc.





FIGS. 2



b


and


2




c


illustrate cross-sectional views of the tube


5


.

FIG. 2



b


illustrates sections


50


,


52


and


54


and the transverse cut


32


while

FIG. 2



c


illustrates how the tube


5


is folded.




Referring now to

FIGS. 2



a


and


3


, a second cutting station cuts the overlapped first, second, and third sections


50


,


52


and


54


along a generally longitudinal second cut line


36


that intersects the first cut line


32


, the first fold line


22


, and the second side edge


16


at one end and intersects the upper line of weakness


18


at the other end. Next, the second cutting station cuts the overlapped first, second, and third sections


50


,


52


and


54


along a generally longitudinal third cut line


34


that intersects the first cut line


32


, the second fold line


24


, and the first side edge


14


at one end and intersects the upper line of weakness


18


at the other end. Sections


40


,


42


and


44


are then removed, as illustrated in

FIG. 3

, to form a plurality of interconnected handle bags


10


. Removed sections


40


and


44


include six layers of thermoplastic material. Removed section


42


includes only two layers of thermoplastic material corresponding to section


52


of the unfolded bag


10


illustrated in FIG.


1


. Cut line


32


is shown in phantom in the bottom part of

FIG. 3

because cut line


32


is in section


52


which is obstructed from this view by folded over sections


50


and


54


.

FIG. 4

illustrates the plurality of interconnected handle bags


10


after they are unfolded and laid flat.




Thus, the method of the present invention provides a plurality of longitudinally folded and interconnected handle bags


10


. In one embodiment, the bags


10


are then wound onto a roll for packaging. In another embodiment, the bags


10


are severed into individual bags, folded transversely and stacked for packaging. In yet another embodiment, each bag


10


is first folded transversely and then severed from the interconnected bags and stacked for packaging. The above methods provide a handle bag that is easy to open, use and close thus saving the user time and preventing frustration.




The thermoplastic materials suitable for the present invention include high density and low density polyethylenes. Particularly preferred is linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE). LLDPE is an ethylenic copolymer formed by copolymerizing ethylene with a minor proportion by weight of an alpha olefin monomer containing 4 to 10 carbon atoms. The use of LLDPE in garbage bags has permitted manufacturers to increase strength, puncture resistance, and tear resistance properties. By way of example, and not intended to limit the scope of the present invention, typical film thicknesses used for bags of the present invention are from about 0.3 mil to about 1.5 mil.




While the present invention has been described with reference to one or more particular embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that many changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Each of these embodiments and obvious variations thereof is contemplated as falling within the spirit and scope of the claimed invention, which is set forth in the following claims.



Claims
  • 1. A folded thermoplastic bag structure comprising:a plurality of interconnected thermoplastic bag segments, each of the bag segments including a pair of thermoplastic layers, a first longitudinal side edge and a second longitudinal side edge, a transverse lower heat seal, a transverse upper heat seal, each of the bag segments including first, second, and third sections, the second section being disposed between the first and third sections, the first section being joined to the second section along a generally longitudinal first fold line, the second section being joined to the third section along a generally longitudinal second fold line; the second section of each bag segment having a transverse cut along a generally transverse first cut line extending entirely between the first and second fold lines; the first section of each bag segment being longitudinally folded over the second section along the first fold line; the third section of each bag segment being longitudinally folded over the folded-over first section along the second fold line such that the first, second and third sections substantially overlap one another; an upper line of weakness being disposed between the transverse upper heat seal of one segment and the transverse lower heat seal of an adjacent segment; each of the bag segments having a generally longitudinal second cut line extending through the first, second, and third sections and intersecting the first cut line, the first fold line, and the second side edge at one end and intersecting the upper line of weakness at the other end; each of the bag segments having a generally longitudinal third cut line extending through the first, second, and third sections and intersecting the first cut line, the second fold line, and the first side edge at one end and intersecting the upper line of weakness at the other end; and each of the bag segments having removable sections formed by the first, second and third cut lines.
  • 2. The bag structure of claim 1, wherein the first cut line is generally linear.
  • 3. The bag structure of claim 1, wherein the second cut line intersects both the upper heat seal and the first fold line at the other end, and wherein the third cut line intersects both the upper heat seal and the second fold line at the other end.
  • 4. The bag structure of claim 3, wherein the second and third cut lines form respective parabolic, removable sections.
  • 5. The bag structure of claim 4, wherein the removable sections comprise six layers of thermoplastic material.
  • 6. The bag structure of claim 1, wherein the one end of the second cut line is located at an intersection of the first cut line and the first fold line and the other end of the second cut line is located at an intersection of the upper heat seal and the first fold line, and wherein the one end of the third cut line is located at an intersection of the first cut line and the second fold line and the other end of the third cut line is located at an intersection of the upper heat seal and the second fold line.
  • 7. The bag structure of claim 1, wherein the one end of the second cut line is located at an intersection of the first cut line and the first fold line, and wherein the one end of the third cut line is located at an intersection of the first cut line and the second fold line.
  • 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first, second, and third sections are approximately equal in area.
  • 9. The bag structure of claim 1, wherein the second and third cut lines are generally arc shaped.
  • 10. The bag structure of claim 1, wherein the second and third cut lines create handles for the bag.
  • 11. The bag structure of claim 10, wherein the first cut line creates an empty gap between the handles.
  • 12. The bag structure of claim 11, wherein the empty gap is formed by the removal of two layers of thermoplastic material from the second section.
  • 13. The bag structure of claim 1, wherein the second and third cut lines form two respective circle segments that are removable.
  • 14. The bag structure of claim 1, wherein the tube is comprised of two opposing layers of thermoplastic material.
  • 15. The bag structure of claim 1, wherein the first, second and third sections are each comprised of two layers of thermoplastic material.
  • 16. The bag structure of claim 1, wherein the overlapped first, second and third sections comprise a total of six layers of thermoplastic material.
Parent Case Info

This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/049,402, filed Mar. 27, 1998 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,059,707.

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