U.S. patent application number 10/086731 was filed with the patent office on 2002-07-11 for roll of tapered bags suitable for dispensing bags singly.
Invention is credited to Malone, Philip G., Smith, Dennis R., Weiss, Charles A. JR..
Application Number | 20020088738 10/086731 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 24520931 |
Filed Date | 2002-07-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020088738 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Malone, Philip G. ; et
al. |
July 11, 2002 |
Roll of tapered bags suitable for dispensing bags singly
Abstract
Tapered bags are dispensed singly from a roll. They may be made
of plastic, paper, aluminum foil, or aluminum foil laminated with
plastic. The bags are connected on the roll alternately top-to-top
and bottom-to-bottom. Each bag is tapered towards its bottom such
that its top-to-top connection with the next bag is wider than the
bottom-to-bottom connection. The taper may be formed by folding the
bags so that a dispensed bag may be unfolded to have a bottom as
wide as the top. Each bottom-to-bottom connection separates the
bags along a row of perforations adjacent to a sealed seam of each
bag that defines the bag and insures its integrity. A row of
closely spaced perforations along the connecting portion between
any two bags allows a single end bag to be separated by pulling and
tearing along the row of perforations.
Inventors: |
Malone, Philip G.;
(Vicksburg, MS) ; Weiss, Charles A. JR.; (Clinton,
MS) ; Smith, Dennis R.; (Burtonsville, MD) |
Correspondence
Address: |
HUMPHREYS ENGINEER CENTER SUPPORT ACTIVITY
ATTN: CEHEC-OC
7701 TELEGRAPH ROAD
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22315-3860
US
|
Family ID: |
24520931 |
Appl. No.: |
10/086731 |
Filed: |
March 4, 2002 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
10086731 |
Mar 4, 2002 |
|
|
|
09628940 |
Jul 28, 2000 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
206/554 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 33/001 20130101;
B65D 33/002 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/554 |
International
Class: |
B65D 001/34 |
Goverment Interests
[0002] The invention described herein may be manufactured,
licensed, and used by or for governmental purposes without the
payment of any royalties thereon.
Claims
We claim:
1. A roll of bags to be dispensed singly, each said bag having a
top, a bottom, and tapered sides, each bag attached to a next bag
in such manner that the top of a first bag is attached to the top
of a second adjacent bag, the bottom of said second bag is attached
to the bottom of a third adjacent bag in a continual fashion thus
forming said roll of bags, wherein the width of each said bag's top
is greater than the width of each said bag's bottom, wherein a row
of perforations is disposed between each two adjacent said bags,
wherein said bottoms of adjacent said bags each have a seam closing
each said bag at its bottom, and wherein one said bag is separated
from said roll by pulling and tearing along said row of
perforations.
2. The roll of bags of claim 1 in which said bags are made of
plastic.
3. The roll of bags of claim 1 in which said bags are made of
paper.
4. The roll of bags of claim 1 in which said bags are made of
aluminum foil.
5. The roll of bags of claim 1 in which said bags are made of
aluminum foil laminated with plastic.
6. The roll of bags of claim 1 in which said bags are folded to
form said tapered sides.
Description
RELATED INVENTIONS
[0001] Under 35 U.S.C .sctn.121, this application claims the
benefit of prior co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No.
096,285,940, "Bag Dispenser," by Smith et al., filed Jul. 28, 2000,
incorporated herein by reference and is related to U.S. patent
divisional application Ser. No. ______, "Nested Tapered Bags," also
filed this date.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0003] This invention relates to dispensing bags, such as those
made of plastic, paper, aluminum foil, or aluminum foil laminated
with plastic. Specifically, it provides for dispensing bags singly
from a roll so that the open end of the bag is evident after
detachment from the roll.
BACKGROUND
[0004] Bags, such as paper, plastic, aluminum foil, or aluminum
foil laminated with plastic, for packaging of small objects or bulk
materials, are typically produced in rolls wherein individual bags
are detached from adjoining bags by pulling and thereby separating
the bags along rows of small perforations. The bottom of one bag is
typically adjacent to the top of the next bag in the roll. The
edges of the bag openings frequently stick together and the bags
often are difficult to open. It is often necessary to print
directions on the bags to direct the user to the open end.
[0005] Several bag dispensing systems of the prior art seek to
overcome the inconvenient features of conventional bag dispensing
systems. Typical examples are U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,989,732, 5,183,158,
5,363,965, and 5,863,130, which disclose thermoplastic bag packs
wherein bags are stacked side-by-side supported by racks and handle
support members. None of these patents disclose the features of the
present invention.
SUMMARY
[0006] The bag dispensing systems of this invention seek to
overcome the inconvenience of prior art bag dispensing means. In
one embodiment, bags are provided in rolls, connected alternately
top-to-top and bottom-to-bottom. Each bag is tapered at the sides
toward its bottom such that its top-to-top connection with the next
bag is wider than the bottom-to-bottom connection. The word tapered
shall hereinafter mean the sides of the bags are tapered from top
to bottom. Each top-to-top and bottom-to-bottom connection has a
row of small, closely spaced perforations that facilitate
separation of the bag from the roll. The separation of one bag from
the next bag moves the sides of the bag in relation to one another,
potentially making the bag easier to open. Additionally, the
tapered shape of each bag makes it easy to identify the top and
bottom of the bag without the need for printed instructions on the
bag to identify the top of the bag, i.e., the open end.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0007] FIG. 1 is a frontal view of a strip of tapered bags used to
form the roll of bags of the present invention.
[0008] FIG. 2 is a frontal view of a single parallel-sided bag
folded to form a tapered bag.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0009] Refer to FIGS. 1 and 2. In one embodiment, means are
provided for dispensing bags singly from a roll 11 of bags each bag
attached to an adjacent bag along either the bags' tops 46 or
bottoms 45. The top 46 of a first bag is attached to the top 46 of
a second bag as shown in FIG. 1 at the top-to-top connection (shown
as a perforation) 12. The bottom 45 of the adjacent (second) bag is
attached to the bottom 45 of a third bag as shown at the
bottom-to-bottom connection (perforation) 13 flanked by the sealed
seams 14 of the second and third bags. This attachment method
continues in an alternating fashion forming a roll 11 wherein the
width of the top-to-top connection 12 is greater than the width of
the bottom-to-bottom connection 13, and wherein the top-to-top
connection 12 between adjacent bags is delineated by a row of
closely spaced perforations. A bag is separated from the roll by
pulling and tearing along whichever connection 13, 14 (delineated
by a row of perforations) that is attaching the end bag to the roll
11.
[0010] Refer to FIG. 1. In an embodiment, bags are provided in
strips 11 to form a roll connected top-to-top at a connection 12
delineated by perforations and bottom-to-bottom at a connection 13
delineated by perforations. The bags are tapered such that the
top-to-top connections 12 are wider than the bottom-to-bottom
connections 13. Refer to FIG. 2. Note that the bags may be tapered
by folding so that when separated from the roll or strip 11, the
bottom 45 of the bag is the same width as the top 46 of the bag.
The top-to-top connections 12 each have a row of closely-spaced
perforations, which may facilitate the bags opening at the top 46
when separated from the strip or roll 11 by pulling and tearing
along the top-to-top connection 12. The bottom-to-bottom connection
13 is delineated by a row of perforations between a sealed seam 14
for each bag, the sealed seam 14 delineating the bottom 45 of each
bag so connected. The sealed seam 14 gives the bag shape and
integrity after the bag has been separated from the dispenser.
[0011] Bags are dispensed singly by pulling on the end bag, whereby
the closest row of perforations 12, 13 is torn and a single bag is
detached. When a top-to-top connection 12 between bags is torn, the
bag may be open at the top 46 or freed end. When a bottom-to-bottom
connection 13 between bags is torn, the bottom 46 (i.e., the end
thus freed) remains closed along the sealed seam 14.
[0012] While there have been shown and described what are
considered at present to be the preferred embodiments of the
present invention, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the
art that modification of such embodiments may be made. It is
therefore desired that the invention not be limited to these
embodiments and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all
such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the
invention.
* * * * *