Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6761787
-
Patent Number
6,761,787
-
Date Filed
Wednesday, May 15, 200223 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, July 13, 200421 years ago
-
Inventors
-
-
Examiners
Agents
- Phillips; Rob L.
- Quirk & Tratos
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 156 281
- 156 344
- 156 224
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A bag that is made silent for purposes of using the bag on a studio set in movies, television, and other live and pre-recorded settings, where set props are needed to recreate real life situations for dramatization, but where real life sound that is created by bags interferes with the recording, broadcasting, or amplification of the dramatic performance. The bag is able to maintain real or imaginary brand labels for either product placement or true-to-life dramatization applications.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a method of transforming a conventional plastic, paper, polymer based or metallic bag into a sufficiently noiseless replica. More particularly, plastic, paper and chip bags are transformed by the present invention such that they generate substantially less noise during handling thereof. Moreover, the method described herein can be used to create a silent bag from scratch without the need for a prefabricated bag “off the shelf.”
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Sound stages and drama stages are highly sensitive to sound. These settings are used for the performance and/or filming of dramatic arts. When an actor is on a stage and uses certain material, such as a paper grocery bag or a plastic bag of chips, the noise generated by the bag can overpower the set, disrupt the performance, and create irremediable sound recording problems.
Because of the problems, often noise-generating bags are not often used on stages or in the filming of television and movie performances. Thus, commercials that should feature bags of chips or snacks, or grocery bags, cannot do so without significant sound-related problems.
In addition, if product bags, such as potato and corn chips, cannot be used, manufacturers lose the ability to participate in “product placement.” Product placement is where a product is used in a television show or movie as a means of implied endorsement. The products used on a popular television series may greatly benefit by the use of the branded product on television. For example, the use of a particular soda can or bottle in a television show or movie can greatly benefit the soda company in the form of advertising and promotion. Chip and snack companies have been unable to take similar advantage of this phenomena since the noise generated by handling the bags creates the aforementioned set problems. The present invention overcomes the inherent shortcomings of plastic bags and chip bags by rendering them virtually “silent.”
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a perspective view of a conventional chip bag;
FIG. 2
is a perspective view of the bag opened at a top end;
FIG. 3
is a perspective view of the bag opened at both ends;
FIG. 4
is a perspective view of the bag with a cut line depicted;
FIG. 5
is a top view of the bag, now a flat sheet, of
FIG. 4
after the bag is cut along the line; and
FIG. 6
is a perspective view of the sheeting material in position above the flat sheet, prior to being joined with said flat sheet.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring to
FIG. 1
, a conventional chip bag
1
being distributed in commerce bears a brand identity
5
and includes a top seal
10
and a bottom seal
20
adjacent the top
15
and bottom
25
of the bag
1
respectively. The present invention can be used for paper or plastic bags, including foilized thin polymer and cellulose acetate, polystyrene, or acrylic bags used for chips or snacks. Most products that are distributed in such bags, including chips and snacks, bear the brand identity
5
of the product.
FIG. 2
shows the bag
1
of
FIG. 1
opened at the top end
15
as is typically accomplished by pulling the two opposite sides
40
,
50
of the top seal
10
.
Assuming that prefabricated “off the shelf” bags are the subject of the present invention, the bag
1
is first opened at both ends
15
,
25
as shown in FIG.
3
. Opening the bottom end
25
of the bag may require cutting the bottom
25
of the bag
1
near the bottom seal
20
. Alternatively, the bottom
25
may be opened in a manner similar to the top
15
by pulling on the two opposite sides
60
,
70
near the bottom seal
20
. Since the bottom seal
20
is designed to remain sealed, it may require more delicate handling than opening the top seal
10
. The bag
1
is then cut along the line
75
as shown in
FIG. 4
creating a flat piece
80
of material as illustrated in FIG.
5
. The flat sheet
80
represented in
FIG. 5
is also representative of flat sheets initiating a fabrication of a silent bag from scratch, rather than created from an existing prefabricated bag.
Once formed, the flat sheet of material
80
is surface prepared by coating a first side
85
with a solution of cleaner, such as 2-Butoxyethanol and ammonia. Any excess cleaner is then wiped with a cotton towel. The surface preparation is followed by a coating of adhesive on the first side
85
. Preferably the adhesive is of a type including cyclohexane, 2-methylpentane, dimethyl ether or similar solutions.
Now referring to
FIG. 6
, a sheeting material
87
is then applied to the treated adhesive surface of the first side
85
. The sheeting material
87
is light-weight, preferably transparent material, such as polyethylene or other laminate material. The sheeting is then rolled with a weighted roller to remove possible air bubbles and to join the treated bag surface and sheeting material permanently. The bag
1
is then left to dry and, once dry, cleaned with naphtha or other similar solvent to remove any excess glue. The bag
1
is then essentially re-constructed by using a sealer to re-seal the bottom
25
of the bag
1
and additionally the side
75
must be re-sealed to re-create the appearance of a conventional bag. If required, the top of the bag
15
may be re-sealed as well.
A custom made bag is constructed in the same manner as described from the point of the flat sheet of material which is treated and formed into a bag by means of a sealer.
The finished bag is now virtually silent. Whereas an average chip bag creates noise in excess of 72 to 80 db in a quite room or sound studio with a silent reading of 42 db, the silent bag creates 45 db under the same circumstances.
Moreover, many of the applications for the invention are in circumstances where the labeling of the bag must be preserved for product placement or brand recognition. With a clear sheeting overlay, the silent bag that is created with the methods of the present invention will preserve the original label or other desired custom labeling.
Numerous variations and modifications are possible within the spirit and scope of the invention, which should be limited only by the claims herein.
Claims
- 1. A method for treating a bag such that noise created by handling the bag is reduced:forming the bag into a flat sheet; treating at least a first surface of the flat sheet with a cleaner; removing said cleaner; applying an adhesive to the at least first surface; applying a sheeting material to the at least first surface; applying pressure to the sheeting material to permanently join the sheeting material to the at least first surface; removing excess adhesive; and re-forming the flat sheet into a bag.
- 2. The method of claim 1 wherein said cleaner is a combination of 2-butoxyethanol and ammonia.
- 3. The method of claim 1 wherein said adhesive is selected from the group consisting of cyclohexane, 2-methylpentane and dimethyl ether.
- 4. The method of claim 1 wherein said pressure is applied by rolling a weighted roller over the adhesive and flat sheet.
- 5. The method of claim 1 wherein said sheeting material is lightweight and transparent.
- 6. The method of claim 1 wherein the sheeting material is polyethylene.
- 7. The method of claim 1 wherein excessive adhesive is removed by applying a solvent.
- 8. The method of claim 7 wherein said solvent is naphtha.
- 9. A method for creating a bag having reduced noise properties comprising the steps of:forming a bag material into a flat rectangular sheet; treating at least a first surface of the flat sheet with a combination of 2-butoxyethanol and ammonia; removing said combination of 2-butoxyethanol and ammonia; applying an adhesive to the at least first surface; applying a sheeting material to the at least first surface; applying pressure to the sheeting material to permanently join the sheeting material to the at least first surface; removing excess adhesive; and forming the flat sheet into a bag.
- 10. The method of claim 9 wherein said pressure is applied by rolling a weighted roller over the adhesive and flat sheet.
- 11. The method of claim 9 wherein said sheeting material is lightweight and transparent.
- 12. The method of claim 9 wherein the sheeting material is polyethylene.
- 13. The method of claim 9 wherein excessive adhesive is removed by applying a solvent.
- 14. The method of claim 13 wherein said solvent is naphtha.
- 15. A method for creating a bag having reduced noise properties comprising the steps of:forming a bag material into a flat rectangular sheet; treating at least a first surface of the flat sheet with a cleaner; removing said cleaner; applying an adhesive, wherein said adhesive is selected from the group consisting of cyclohexane, 2-methylpentane and dimethyl ether, to the at least first surface; applying a sheeting material to the at least first surface; applying pressure to the sheeting material to permanently join the sheeting material to the at least first surface; removing excess adhesive; and forming the flat sheet into a bag.
- 16. The method of claim 15 wherein said pressure is applied by rolling a weighted roller over the adhesive and flat sheet.
- 17. The method of claim 15 wherein said sheeting material is lightweight and transparent.
- 18. The method of claim 15 wherein the sheeting material is polyethylene.
- 19. The method of claim 15 wherein excessive adhesive is removed by applying a solvent.
- 20. The method of claim 19 wherein said solvent is naphtha.
- 21. The method of claim 15 wherein said cleaner is a combination of 2-butoxyethanol and ammonia.
US Referenced Citations (8)