Patent Application
20240286800
The present disclosure generally relates to plastic bags and more particularly to plastic bags having multiple compartments.
Inexpensive plastic bags are ubiquitous in modern commerce for holding items for transport, protection and other reasons. Bags of this type can be formed in many ways, such as by forming a sheet of plastic into a tube, cutting the tube to length and then sealing one (bottom) end to form a bag. However, many other ways of forming bag are possible. Often one end of the bag has a reclosable opening, while an opposite end of the bag is permanently closed.
In one aspect, a multicompartment bag of polymeric material generally comprises a first compartment including a first panel of the polymeric material and a second panel of the polymeric material in opposed relation to the first panel. The first and second panels include opposite side edge margins, top edge margins and bottom edge margins. The side edge margins and bottom edge margins are joined together to form a first compartment volume for receiving and holding items in the first compartment. A first closure located generally at the top edge margins of the first and second panels can be used to selectively connect and disconnect the first and second panels at the top edge margins thereby to form a first opening for passing items into and out of the first compartment. A second compartment includes a third panel of the polymeric material that is in opposed relation to the second panel of the first compartment. The third panel includes opposite side edge margins, a top edge margin and a bottom edge margin. The opposite side edge margins of the third panel are joined together with the opposite side edge margins of the second panel, and the top edge margin of the third panel are joined to the top edge margin of the second panel to form a second compartment volume for receiving and holding items in the second compartment. A second closure located generally at the bottom edge margins of the second and third panels can be used to selectively connect and disconnect the second and third panels at the bottom edge margins thereby to form a second opening for passing items into and out of the second compartment. A third compartment includes a fourth panel of the polymeric material that is in opposed relation to the third panel of the second compartment. The fourth panel includes opposite side edge margins, a top edge margin and a bottom edge margin. The opposite side edge margins of the fourth panel are joined together with the opposite side edge margins of the third panel and the bottom edge margin of the fourth panel are joined to the bottom edge margin of the third panel to form a third compartment volume for receiving and holding items in the third compartment. A third closure located generally at the top edge margins of the third and fourth panels can be used to selectively connect and disconnect the third and fourth panels at the top edge margins to form a third opening for passing items into and out of the third compartment.
Other objects and features of the present disclosure will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.
Referring now to the drawings, a bag constructed of polymeric material according to the principles of the present invention is designated generally at 10. The bag has multiple compartments, including a first compartment 12 comprising a first panel 14 and a second panel 16 in opposed relation to the first panel. The first and second panels 14, 16 have opposite side edge margins, top edge margins and bottom edge margins. The side edge margins and the bottom edge margins are operatively connected together. The opposing side edge margins and bottom edge margins of the first and second panels 14, 16 can be directly connected to each other or connected by intervening structure. For example, the bottom margins can be connected together by expandable gussets, as illustrated in the drawings. The gussets will be described more fully hereinafter. The connection or joining of the side edge margins and bottom edge margins define a first compartment volume between the first and second panels 14, 16 for receiving and holding items in the first compartment 12.
The first compartment further includes a first closure in the form of a zipper comprising a first (e.g., male) zipper element 18 and a second (e.g., female) zipper element 20. The first and second zipper elements 18, 20 are attached to the first and second panels 14, 16, respectively generally at the top margins of the first and second panels. The zipper can be selectively opened and closed by pressing the first and second zipper elements 18, 20 together and pulling them apart. When the first and second zipper elements 18, 20 are separated, the first and second panels 14, 16 define a first opening at the top of the first compartment 12. Items can be passed into and out of the first compartment 12 through the first opening. The first opening opens upwardly as the bag 10 is oriented in the drawings.
The bag 10 further includes a second compartment 28 having a third panel 26 that is in opposed relation with the second panel 16, but on an opposite side of the second panel from the first panel 14. The third panel 26 has opposite side margins, a top edge margin and a bottom edge margin. The opposite side edge margins of the third panel 26 are joined together with the side edge margins of the second panel 16. The top edge margin of the third panel 26 is operatively connected to the top edge margin of the second panel 16. The connection of the second and third panels 16, 26 in this manner forms a second compartment volume for receiving and holding items in the second compartment 28. The second compartment is defined by the second and third panels 16, 26.
A second closure in the form of a zipper comprising a first (e.g., male) zipper element 30 and a second (e.g., female) zipper element 32 is located generally at the bottom edge margins of the second and third panels 16, 26. The first and second zipper elements 30, 32 are attached to the second and third panels 16, 26, respectively generally at the bottom margins of the second and third panels. The zipper can be selectively opened and closed by pressing the first and second zipper elements 30, 32 together and pulling them apart. When the first and second zipper elements 30, 32 are separated, the second and third panels 16, 26 define a second opening at the bottom of the second compartment 28. Items can be passed into and out of the second compartment 28 through the second opening. The second opening opens downward as oriented in the drawings.
A third compartment 36 of the bag 10 includes a fourth panel 38. The fourth panel is in opposed relation to the third panel 26 of the second compartment 28, but on an opposite side of the third panel from the second panel 16. The fourth panel 38 includes opposite side edge margins, a top edge margin and a bottom edge margin. The opposite side edge margins of the fourth panel 38 are joined together with the corresponding opposite side edge margins of the third panel 26. The bottom edge margin of the fourth panel 38 is joined to the bottom edge margin of the third panel 26. The joinder of these edge margins of the third and fourth panels 26, 38 forms a third compartment volume for receiving and holding items in the third compartment 36. The third compartment is defined by the third and fourth panels 26, 38.
A third closure in the form of a zipper comprising a first (e.g., female) zipper element 40 and a second (e.g., male) zipper element 42 is located generally at the top edge margins of the third and fourth panels 26, 38. The first and second zipper elements 40, 42 are attached to the third and fourth panels 26, 38, respectively generally at the top margins of the third and fourth panels. The zipper can be selectively opened and closed by pressing the first and second zipper elements 40, 42 together and pulling them apart. When the first and second zipper elements 40, 42 are separated, the third and fourth panels 26, 38 define a third opening at the top of the third compartment 36. Items can be passed into and out of the third compartment 36 through the third opening. The third opening of the third compartment 36 opens upwardly in the orientation shown in the drawings.
It will be understood that although three compartments 12, 28, 36 are illustrated, any number of compartments could be formed by simply continuing the pattern of construction illustrated in
Referring to
As previously stated herein, the first side edge margins of the first and second panels 14, 16, second and third panels 16, 26, and third and fourth panels 26, 38 are joined together over their entire lengths. The joining can be made in any suitable manner, such as by ultrasonic or heat sealing. More particularly and in reference to
As various changes could be made in the above products and methods without departing from the scope of the disclosure, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
When introducing elements of the present disclosure or the preferred embodiments(s) thereof, the articles “a”, “an”, “the” and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising”, “including” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements. Moreover, directional terms such as “top”, “bottom”, “side” are used for convenience of description and to not require the article to have any particular orientation.
In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the disclosure are achieved and other advantageous results attained.
