U.S. patent application number 11/185165 was filed with the patent office on 2007-01-25 for visual alignment system for bale bags.
This patent application is currently assigned to L&P Property Management Company. Invention is credited to Barton Wade Daniel.
Application Number | 20070019891 11/185165 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37679102 |
Filed Date | 2007-01-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070019891 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Daniel; Barton Wade |
January 25, 2007 |
Visual alignment system for bale bags
Abstract
A bag for a bale of fibrous material with a visual indicator
includes at least one panel of material that can be spiral sewn and
can also be woven polypropylene; the panel has a first end adjacent
to a closed end of the bag and a second end adjacent to an open end
of the bag; the panel has a visual indicator intermediate to the
first end of the panel and the second end of the panel for aligning
the panel relative to a bag applicator.
Inventors: |
Daniel; Barton Wade;
(Kennesaw, GA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
HUSCH & EPPENBERGER, LLC
190 CARONDELET PLAZA
SUITE 600
ST. LOUIS
MO
63105-3441
US
|
Assignee: |
L&P Property Management
Company
|
Family ID: |
37679102 |
Appl. No.: |
11/185165 |
Filed: |
July 20, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
383/105 ;
383/117 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 85/07 20180101 |
Class at
Publication: |
383/105 ;
383/117 |
International
Class: |
B65D 33/00 20060101
B65D033/00; B65D 30/04 20060101 B65D030/04 |
Claims
1. A bag for a bale of fibrous material, comprising: at least one
panel of spiral sewn material, said at least one panel having first
and second ends with said first end of said at least one panel
adjacent to a closed end of said bag and said second end of said at
least one panel adjacent to an open end of said bag; and a visual
indicator for aligning said at least one panel relative to a bag
applicator, said visual indicator being disposed in an area
intermediate said first end and said second end.
2. The bag as set forth in claim 1, wherein the spiral sewn
material is woven polypropylene.
3. The bag as set forth in claim 1, wherein the visual indicator is
marked on the panel.
4. The bag as set forth in claim 1, wherein the visual indicator is
applied to the panel.
5. The bag as set forth in claim 1, wherein the visual indicator is
woven into the panel.
6. The bag as set forth in claim 1, wherein the visual indicator is
generally linear.
7. The bag as set forth in claim 1, wherein the visual indicator
comprises a solid line.
8. The bag as set forth in claim 1, wherein the visual indicator
comprises an intermittent line.
9. The bag as set forth in claim 1, wherein the visual indicator
comprises a geometric pattern.
10. The bag as set forth in claim 1, wherein the visual indicator
comprises text.
11. The bag as set forth in claim 1, wherein the visual indicator
comprises a series of shapes.
12. A bag for a bale of fibrous material, comprising: at least one
panel of woven polypropylene material, said at least one panel
having first and second ends with said first end of said at least
one panel adjacent to a closed end of said bag and said second end
of said at least one panel adjacent to an open end of said bag; and
a visual indicator for aligning said at least one panel relative to
a bag applicator, said visual indicator being disposed in an area
intermediate said first end and said second end.
13. The bag as set forth in claim 12, wherein the woven
polypropylene material is spiral sewn.
14. The bag as set forth in claim 12, wherein the visual indicator
is marked on the panel.
15. The bag as set forth in claim 12, wherein the visual indicator
is applied to the panel.
16. The bag as set forth in claim 12, wherein the visual indicator
is woven into the panel.
17. The bag as set forth in claim 12, wherein the visual indicator
is generally linear.
18. The bag as set forth in claim 12, wherein the visual indicator
comprises a solid line.
19. The bag as set forth in claim 12, wherein the visual indicator
comprises an intermittent line.
20. The bag as set forth in claim 12, wherein the visual indicator
comprises a geometric pattern.
21. The bag as set forth in claim 12, wherein the visual indicator
comprises text.
22. The bag as set forth in claim 12, wherein the visual indicator
comprises a series of shapes.
23. A bag for a cotton bale, comprising: at least one panel of
spiral sewn woven polypropylene material, said at least one panel
having first and second ends with the first end of said at least
one panel adjacent to a closed end of said bag and said second end
of said at least one panel adjacent to an open end of said bag; and
a solid line marked approximately at the center of said at least
one panel and extending from said second end of said at least one
panel towards said first end of said at least one panel.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention generally relates to storage of
fibrous material and, more particularly, to an improved bag for the
storage of fibrous material.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] After cotton or other fibrous materials are harvested, the
materials are transferred to gins to separate the fiber from the
seeds in a process known as ginning. After ginning and washing, the
fibers are compressed into bales, and the bales are placed into
bags to protect them during transportation and while they await
further processing. To place a 500 pound cotton bale into a bag,
laborers position the open end of the bag on a bag applicator. The
bale is inserted into the bag, the filled bag is removed from the
applicator, and the open end of the bag is closed. If the laborers
do not correctly orient the bag relative to the bag applicator, the
bale is not inserted all the way to the bottom of the bag, and
there is insufficient bag length to close the top of the bag. Then,
the bag production process must be stopped to allow time for the
bale to be re-bagged. There are two types of bags--polyethylene
bags, and polypropylene woven bags. The woven bags are usually sewn
together in a spiral pattern.
[0005] One of the drawbacks to existing woven bags is that they
contain no visual indicator to guide laborers in applying bags to
the bag applicator. Consequently, bags are frequently applied
incorrectly to the bag applicator, resulting in increased
production costs.
[0006] Various improvements have been made to cotton bale bags.
Recyclable, lightweight, and stretchable bags are described in U.S.
Pat. Nos. 5,397,612 and 4,071,138. Improvements in absorption
properties, stretch characteristics, and resistance to raveling are
described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,215,191. Stripes of thermoplastic
resin have been fused to bags to prevent fraying, as illustrated in
U.S. Pat. No. 4,557,958, but these diagonally-oriented stripes
would not be able to serve as a visual indicator of proper bag
alignment. In addition, an apparatus for sorting and reorienting
individual loose articles as they are packaged automatically is
described in U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. US 2004/0084279 A1, but there
is no indication that the invention described would be useful in an
application involving the manual orientation of packaging material
such as bags. In one particular type of bag, an adhesive seam bag,
the seam inherent in the structure of the bag is sometimes used to
align the bags on the bag applicator. However, because the seams
are not intended for that use, they may not always be consistent,
are not always easy for laborers to see, and do not always
adequately serve the alignment purpose. In addition, a spiral sewn
bag does not have any seam that could serve as a visual alignment
marker. No previous inventions have involved marking bags for the
purpose of providing better alignment on bag applicators.
[0007] It would be advantageous to provide a bag for bales of
cotton or other fibrous material with a consistent and effective
visual indicator for helping laborers apply bags correctly to bag
applicators, thereby ensuring that the bags will adequately cover
and protect the bales.
[0008] The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more
of the problems set forth above.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] An aspect of the present invention is to provide a storage
bag for fibrous material (such as cotton) having a consistent and
effective visual indicator for aligning bags on bag
applicators.
[0010] In accordance with the above aspect of the invention, there
is provided a bag for a bale of fibrous material with at least one
panel of material having one end adjacent to a closed end of the
bag and one end adjacent to an open end of the bag. Placed at a
position intermediate to the first and second ends is a visual
indicator for aligning the panel relative to the bag
applicator.
[0011] Further areas of applicability of the present invention will
become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter.
It should be understood that the detailed description and specific
examples, while indicating the preferred embodiments of the
invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are
not intended to limit the scope of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] The present invention will become more fully understood from
the detailed description and the accompanying drawings,
wherein:
[0013] FIG. 1 is a top view of a spiral sewn bag for a bale of
fibrous material according to one embodiment of the present
invention.
[0014] FIG. 2 is a partial view of a bag for a bale of fibrous
material according to one embodiment of the present invention.
[0015] FIG. 3 is a partial view of a bag for a bale of fibrous
material according to a second embodiment of the present
invention.
[0016] FIG. 4 is a partial view of a bag for a bale of fibrous
material according to a third embodiment of the present
invention.
[0017] FIG. 5 is a partial view of a bag for a bale of fibrous
material according to a fourth embodiment of the present
invention.
[0018] FIG. 6 is a partial view of a bag for a bale of fibrous
material according to a fifth embodiment of the present
invention.
[0019] FIG. 7 is a side view of a bag for a bale of fibrous
material positioned on a bag applicator.
[0020] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a filled bag for a bale of
fibrous material according to an embodiment of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0021] The following description of the preferred embodiments is
merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the
invention, its application, or uses.
[0022] FIGS. 1-6 illustrate various embodiments of bags for fibrous
materials according to the present invention. Each bag 20 is
constructed in a generally rectangular shape, although this is not
an essential feature of the invention. The bag 20 can be
manufactured from a wide variety of materials, including natural
and man-made materials, such as burlap, cotton, or polyethylene, or
polypropylene, and may be woven. The bag 20 can be constructed of a
solid panel of material 22 that is folded over and sealed to create
the structure of the bag 20. Alternately, the bag 20 can be
constructed of a panel of material 22 that is wrapped in a spiral
manner and sealed with a seam 23. A spiral sewn bag 20 is
illustrated in FIG. 1. In either of these embodiments, it is
necessary to seal one end of the structure to complete the basic
manufacture of the bag 20.
[0023] The general construction of the bag 20 as described above
results in the bag 20 having at least one elongated panel of
material 22 running between two ends of the bag 20, a first end 24
adjacent to a closed end 28 of the bag 20 and a second end 26
adjacent to an open end 30 of the bag 20. A visual indicator 32 is
provided on this panel of material 22 running generally along at
least some portion of the length of the bag 20 from the closed end
28 to the open end 30 of the bag 20. In various embodiments, this
visual indicator 32 may run along the entire length of the panel 22
or just along a portion of the panel 22 at either end or anywhere
at an intermediate position between the ends 24, 26.
[0024] The visual indicator 32 can be applied to the panel of
material 22 in several ways. The visual indicator 32 can be placed
on the panel 22 by marking with ink, paint, or any substance that
is capable of producing a mark on a surface. Alternately, the
visual indicator 32 can be in the form of a separate piece of
material that can be adhered with an adhesive or sewn onto the
panel 22 at the desired location. Further, the visual indicator 32
can be incorporated directly into the structure of the panel of
material 22 by using colored thread, colored yarn, or colored
strips of material within the panel 22.
[0025] One embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 2. In
this embodiment, the visual indicator 32 takes the form of a solid
line 34. The solid line 34 can extend along the entire panel 22,
can be positioned near one of the ends 24, 26 of the panel 22, or
can be placed at an intermediate position. The color, width, and
length of the solid line 34 can vary.
[0026] Another embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 3. In
this embodiment, the visual indicator 32 takes the form of an
intermittent line 36. The intermittent line 36 can extend along the
entire panel 22, can be positioned near one of the ends 24, 26 of
the panel 22, or can be placed at an intermediate position. The
colors, widths, and lengths of the line segments in the
intermittent line 36 can vary, as can the distance between the line
segments.
[0027] Another embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 4. In
this embodiment, the visual indicator 32 takes the form of a
geometric pattern 38. The geometric pattern 38 can extend along the
entire panel 22, can be positioned near one of the ends 24, 26 of
the panel 22, or can be placed at an intermediate position.
Although the geometric pattern 38 shown is composed of line
segments intersecting at their end points, the specific design of
the geometric pattern 38 is not essential to the invention. The
geometric pattern 38 can include other components, such as wavy
lines, parallel lines, and intersecting lines, and the components
can be arranged in a variety of ways. The color and width of the
pattern and its components can vary.
[0028] Another embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 5. In
this embodiment, the visual indicator 32 takes the form of text 40.
The text 40 can extend along the entire panel 22, can be positioned
near one of the ends 24, 26 of the panel 22, or can be placed at an
intermediate position. The text 40 can be any letters, any words,
or a logo. The color, font, capitalization, and size of the letters
can vary.
[0029] Another embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 6. In
this embodiment, the visual indicator 32 takes the form of a series
of shapes 42. The series of shapes 42 can extend along the entire
panel 22, can be positioned near one of the ends 24, 26 of the
panel 22, or can be placed at an intermediate position. Although
the shapes 42 shown are circles, any shapes 42 including squares,
rectangles, conic sections, trapezoids, or curves can be used.
Their color and size can vary.
[0030] FIG. 7 illustrates one way in which the bag 20 could be
aligned on a bag applicator 44. When laborers place a bale bag 20
on a bag applicator 44, they can place an open end 30 of the bag 20
on the bag applicator 44. The bag applicator 44 acts to provide an
inner shell around which the bag 20 is placed (similar to placing a
trash bag around a hollow tube). As the laborers do this, they can
align the visual indicator 32 on the bag 20 relative to the bag
applicator 44, i.e. align the visual indicator in the middle of the
bag applicator 44. This allows proper application of the bag 20 to
the bag applicator 44. Because of this relative proper alignment
and orientation, the dimensions of bag 20 spatially accommodate the
dimensions of a bale of fibrous material, like fitting a
rectangular peg into a rectangular hole; and the bale of fibrous
material is completely inserted through the bag applicator 44 and
then into the bag 20. Because of the proper alignment between the
bag and bale, there is sufficient bag length to close the open end
30 of the bag 20, as illustrated in FIG. 8. The bale of fibrous
material is then adequately protected.
[0031] As various modifications could be made to the exemplary
embodiments, as described above with reference to the corresponding
illustrations, without departing from the scope of the invention,
it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing
description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be
interpreted as illustrative rather than limiting. Thus, the breadth
and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of
the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined
only in accordance with the following claims appended hereto and
their equivalents.
* * * * *