U.S. patent number 3,907,530 [Application Number 05/417,243] was granted by the patent office on 1975-09-23 for vacuum cleaner filter bag.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Studley Paper Company, Inc.. Invention is credited to John E. Fesco.
United States Patent |
3,907,530 |
Fesco |
September 23, 1975 |
Vacuum cleaner filter bag
Abstract
A vacuum cleaner bag is made from a blank sheet of air permeable
material which defines a front wall, a rear and a pair of opposing
side walls. Opposing edges of the blank are secured together in an
overlapping relation to define a tube-like member. The walls are
joined at one end of the bag to define a portion having a narrow
cross-section. The front and rear walls diverge from each other in
a direction away from the one end when the bag is expanded. A top
wall is connected to the other walls at the other end of the bag.
Fold lines are provided in the walls to permit movement of the bag
from a collapsed condition, wherein the top and rear walls face a
common direction opposite to the direction in which the front wall
faces and wherein at least a portion of the front wall is in
opposition and adjacent to a portion of the top wall, to an
expanded condition, wherein the top wall is substantially normal to
the longitudinal length direction of the bag. Access means in the
form of a reenforced aperture adapted to cooperate with a vacuum
cleaner element is provided in the front wall portion facing the
top wall portion in the collapsed condition of the bag for
providing access to the interior of the bag. In this manner, air
directed through the aperture impinges on the top wall portion and
urges the separation between the front and rear walls to cause the
bag to move to an expanded condition suitable for receiving waste
material.
Inventors: |
Fesco; John E. (South
Hempstead, NY) |
Assignee: |
Studley Paper Company, Inc.
(Inwood, NY)
|
Family
ID: |
23653166 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/417,243 |
Filed: |
November 19, 1973 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
55/377; 29/53;
55/381 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47L
9/14 (20130101); B01D 46/02 (20130101); Y10T
29/5172 (20150115) |
Current International
Class: |
A47L
9/14 (20060101); B01D 46/02 (20060101); B01D
046/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;55/361,376,367,368,377,380,381 ;229/53,62.5 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Nozick; Bernard
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Friedman & Goodman
Claims
I claim:
1. A vacuum cleaner filter bag comprising a blank sheet of air
permeable material defining a front wall, a rear wall of
substantially the same width as the front wall and a pair of
opposing side walls, opposing edges of said blank being secured
together in an overlapping relation to define a tube-like member,
said opposing edges of said blank defining cooperating portions of
said rear wall, said rear wall being substantially flat and having
a thickness of said blank and having a double thickness of said
blank only where said opposing edges are joined in an overlapping
relation, said walls being joined at one end of the bag to define a
portion having a narrow cross-section said front and rear walls
diverging from each other in a direction away from said one end
when the bag is expanded to define a substantially triangular
cross-section at a longitudinal plane disposed normal to said front
and rear walls; a top wall of substantially the same width as said
rear wall connected to said front, rear and side walls at the other
end of the bag, fold lines being provided in said rear and side
walls to permit movement of the bag from a collapsed condition to
an expanded condition and said top wall extending from a vertical
to horizontal position, said rear wall being folded back upon
itself in said collapsed condition with a portion of said rear wall
being adjacent to said top wall and facing in a common direction
with said top wall which is opposite to a direction in which said
front wall faces, said top wall being substantially normally to the
longitudinal length direction of the bag in said expanded
condition, an upper fold line being provided between said top and
front walls to permit angular movement of said top wall relative to
said front wall when the bag moves from said collapsed condition to
said expanded condition, and access means provided in said front
wall adjacent to said upper fold line and directly in front of an
inner surface portion of said top wall when in said collapsed
condition for providing access to an interior of the bag to permit
air directed through said access means to impinge on said inner
surface portion of said top wall and urge unfolding of said rear
wall as said top wall angularly moves relative to said front wall
together with separation between said front and rear walls to move
the bag to said expanded condition suitable for receiving waste
material.
2. A vacuum cleaner filter bag as defined in claim 1, wherein said
access means comprises a flap punched out in said front wall; and
apertured securing means disposed coextensively with said flap for
securing the bag to a vacuum cleaner.
3. A vacuum cleaner filter bag as defined in claim 2, wherein said
securing means comprises an apertured mounting collar mounted on
said front wall to bring the aperture thereof in registry with said
flap; and a resilient sheet of material mounted on said mounting
collar and having an aperture provided in said mounting collar
aligned with the latter, whereby passage of a vacuum cleaner
element having the larger dimensions of the aperture in said
mounting collar therethrough causes the element to be frictionally
engaged by said resilient sheet to prevent inadvertent separation
between the element and the bag during use.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention generally relates to disposable type filter bags for
use with vacuum cleaning devices, and more particularly to a filter
bag which expands from a folded condition in more reliable fashion
and which may be utilized to project an incoming air stream and
waste material into the bag against reenforced portions thereof to
prevent breakage of the bag. This is accomplished by appropriate
location of the access opening in a longitudinal side of the bag
instead of conventionally locating the same at the end walls
thereof.
Vacuum cleaner paper bags of various types are already known.
Numerous problems, however, are associated in the construction,
manufacture and use of these bags. Where it is desired to make
paper bags of increased capacity and special shapes adapted to
different shape vacuum cleaning devices, different machines have to
be set up to take care of different bag sizes and shapes. One
problem has been the provision of access means through a bag bottom
wall or end wall which provides access to the interior of the bag.
Generally, what is done is to provide a centrally located aperture
in the bag bottom to which is attached a mounting collar with the
other end of the bag being closed. The problem with this is that in
order to provide the aperture, several layers of the bag bottom
have to be cut through or multiple holes have to be provided in the
bag blank, this resulting in a relatively complicated bag
construction. A vacuum cleaner filter bag which overcomes this
problem is described in my U.S. Pat. No. 3,616,621. By placing the
access means off-center, as described in the patent, a simplified
bag construction is made possible.
In use, filter bags are generally attached to a vacuum cleaner
element while the bag is still in a folded condition. This
generally entails the passage of a tubular member through an
aperture in the filter bag. Because many filter bags are mounted in
this folded condition, it is important that the filter bag expand
sufficiently during use to assure that the maximum capacity of the
bag is achieved for receiving the waste material. However, many of
the filter bags, because of their construction, do not fully expand
as desired and, consequently, the bag provides indications of being
full before its full capacity has been reached. In effect, these
bags, which are designed and constructed for higher capacities, are
equivalent to lower capacity bags because of their failure to fully
expand from the folded condition.
In the use of a vacuum cleaner bag, as it is known to those skilled
in the art, a rapid stream of air is directed through an aperture
or opening in a wall of the bag, the stream of air carrying the
dust and waste materials which the vacuum cleaner is to collect.
Since the stream of air generally impinges on an interior surface
of the bag, it is important that that surface be sufficiently
strong to withstand the recurrent blasts of air which are directed
at it. A disadvantage of many of the prior art vacuum cleaner bags
is that the bags are not sufficiently reenforced, particularly when
moisture or water droplets are included in the stream of air.
Accordingly, the surface which is exposed to the stream weakens
with extended use and, in some cases, breaks. This poses a problem
to the user since the dirt which has been collected within the bag
is expelled into the vacuum cleaner structure and, possibly, into
the surroundings being cleaned.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a
vacuum cleaner filter bag which does not have the above described
disadvantages associated with prior art filter bags.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a vacuum
cleaner filter bag which is simple in construction and economical
to manufacture.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a
filter bag of the type under discussion which locates the access
means through which the waste materials enter the bag in a
longitudinal wall of the bag and not at the end walls thereof as in
conventional bags.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a
vacuum cleaner filter bag as above described which fully expands
from a folded condition during use of the bag.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide access
means or an inlet opening in a vacuum cleaner bag as contemplated
above which is disposed adjacently to a multi-layered reenforced
wall which is adapted to withstand the jets of air impinging
thereon to thereby increase the life of the filter bag and prevent
breakage thereof.
In order to achieve the above objects, as well as others which will
become apparent hereafter, a vacuum cleaner filter bag in
accordance with the present invention comprises a blank sheet of
air permeable material defining a front wall, a rear wall and a
pair of opposing side walls. Opposing edges of the blank are
secured together in an overlapping relation to define a tube-like
member. The walls are joined at one end of the bag to define a
closed portion having a narrow cross section. Said front and rear
walls diverge from each other in a direction away from said one end
when the bag is in a fully expanded condition. A top wall is
connected to said other walls and is substantially normal to the
longitudinal length direction of the bag when the latter is in a
fully expanded condition. Access means are provided in said front
wall proximate to said top wall for providing access to the
interior of the bag.
In the presently preferred embodiment, said top and rear walls face
a common direction opposite to the direction in which said front
wall faces when the bag is folded, at least a portion of said front
wall being in opposition and adjacent to a portion of said top
wall. In the expanded condition said top wall is substantially
normal to the longitudinal length direction of the bag. With such
an arrangement, said access means is advantageously provided in
said front wall portion facing said top wall portion in the
collapsed or folded condition of the bag. In this manner, air
directed through said access means impinges on said top wall
portion and urges the separation between said front and rear walls
to cause the bag to move to an expanded condition suitable for
receiving waste material.
A blank foldable into a vacuum cleaner filter bag in accordance
with the present invention comprises a sheet of air permeable
material substantially rectangular in configuration. A first
transverse fold line is provided adjacent to one transverse
marginal edge of said sheet. A second transverse fold line is
spaced between said first transverse fold line and said one
transverse marginal edge. A plurality of longitudinal fold lines
are spaced between the longitudinal marginal edges of said sheet
and intersect said first and second transverse fold lines to define
a front wall forming member, a rear wall forming member and a pair
of opposing side wall forming members. Pairs of slits are provided
in said top wall forming member which longitudinally extends from
said one transverse marginal edge. Diagonal fold lines extend from
said slits to intersection points within said side wall forming
members, said intersection points each being located at said first
transverse fold line and a longitudinal fold line extending along
the center of a corresponding side wall forming member. Said slits
and said diagonal fold lines allow the top wall, when assembled, to
move from a folded position substantially parallel to the front and
rear walls of the resulting bag to a position substantially normal
to the longitudinal direction of the bag when the same is in an
expanded condition. Aperture means are provided in a portion of
said front wall forming member which is positionable in opposition
to said top wall forming member when the bag is assembled and in a
folded condition.
The blank and vacuum cleaner bag construction in accordance with
the present invention overcomes the above described disadvantages
inherent in many prior art bags. Firstly, by locating the access
means in a front wall or longitudinal surface of the bag, as
opposed to the prior art end wall locations of the bag, the
incoming stream of air forces the separation between the greater
surface longitudinal walls to assure a fully expanded condition of
the bag during use. Further, the resulting construction provides a
top wall which is multi-layered, and, consequently, reenforced. By
locating the access means or the aperture in the bag adjacently to
the top wall and by directing the stream of air at this wall, the
top wall represents a reenforced surface which can withstand the
recurrent bursts of high velocity, air and waste particles without
damage or breaking.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
With the above and additional objects and advantages in view, as
will hereinafter appear, this invention comprises the devices,
combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings of a preferred embodiment
in which:
FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a bag in accordance with the
present invention, shown in a substantially folded condition and
showing the location of the access means or aperture in the bag
disposed adjacently to the upper end of the bag, as viewed in this
FIGURE;
FIG. 2 is a cross section of the bag shown in FIG. 1, taken along
line 2--2;
FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view of the bag shown in FIGS. 1 and
2, showing the manner in which the top wall of the bag is
substantially coextensive with the rear wall when the bag is
folded;
FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a blank utilized in the construction
of the bag shown in FIGS. 1-3, showing the slits and the fold lines
which are provided in said blank to facilitate assembly of the
bag;
FIG. 5 is a cross section of the bag shown in FIG. 3, taken along
5--5;
FIGS. 6 and 7 are partially fragmented side elevational views of
the bag shown in FIGS. 1-3, showing the manner in which the
location of the aperture on the filter bag proximate to the top
wall thereof causes the filter bag to expand from a folded
condition during the use of the bag; and
FIGS. 8 and 9 are similar to FIGS. 6 and 7, but wherein a stream of
air is directed in an upward direction to impinge upon the top wall
of the filter bag which is formed of multiple layers and is thereby
reenforced to withstand the streams of air and particles impinging
thereon.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now specifically to the drawings, wherein the identical
or similar parts have been designated by the same reference
numerals throughout, and first referring to FIGS. 1-3, a vacuum
cleaner bag in accordance with the present invention is generally
designated by the reference numeral 10.
The bag 10 defines a front wall 12, a rear wall 14 and a pair of
opposing side walls 16. Connected to the aforementioned walls at
one end of the bag 10 is a top wall 18. At the other end of the bag
10, the walls 12, 14 and 16 are joined at a closed end 20. In the
preferred embodiment, the closed end is formed by rolling the
aforementioned walls several turns, as best shown in FIG. 2, and
maintained in this condition by any conventional manner such as by
the use of adhesive.
Generally described, the bag 10 has a substantially triangular
cross section when cut at a longitudinal plane disposed normally to
the front and rear walls 12, 14 and when the bag is in an expanded
condition, as suggested in FIGS. 7 and 9. The specific construction
of the bag will be described hereafter in connection with FIGS.
1-5.
An important feature of the present invention is the provision of
access means or aperture means, generally designated by the
reference numeral 21, in the front wall 12 proximate to the point
where the latter is joined to the top wall 18. The advantages of
this specific construction will be described hereafter in
connection with FIGS. 6-9.
The access or aperture means 21 comprises an opening in the front
wall, which may be in the form of a removed section from the wall
or may consist of a flap punched out in the wall. An apertured
securing means in the form of a mounting collar 24 is provided and
disposed coextensively with the opening or aperture in the bag. The
mounting or retaining collar may comprise a stiffening member in
the form of a cardboard member. An aperture 22 in the mounting
collar is aligned with the aperture in the wall. The mounting
collar may be joined to the front wall 12 in any conventional
manner, such as by adhesive.
Joined to the mounting collar 24 is a resilient member 26 which has
an aperture 28 smaller in size than the aperture 22 provided in the
mounting collar and in the aperture in the front wall 12. The
aperture 28 is aligned with the two aforementioned openings. In
this manner, the passage of a vacuum cleaner element having the
larger dimensions of the aperture 22 in the mounting collar causes
the element to be frictionally engaged by the resilient member or
sheet to prevent inadvertent separation between the element and the
bag during use. For this purpose, the resilient member 26 may
comprise a thin sheet of elastomeric plastic material or rubber
sheeting.
The references in this application to directions, i.e., front,
rear, side and top, are only for reference purposes for
facilitating the description of the invention. These directions
have no particular significance with respect to the basic principle
of the invention which is herein sought to be protected.
The access means 21 is shown disposed in the upper, left-hand
corner, as viewed in FIG. 1. The reason for disposing the access
means 21 in the upper region of the bag as viewed in the FIGURES,
adjacently to the top wall 18, will be described hereafter.
However, the specific location of the access means 21 along the
width of the front wall 12 is not a critical feature of the present
invention. Thus, the access means may be provided in the upper,
right-hand corner of the front wall 12 or at an intermediate
position. This is, clearly, dictated by the design of the vacuum
cleaner in which the bag is to be used. Here, the reasons for
positioning the access means 21 off-center is not based on the same
considerations as those disclosed in my U.S. Pat. No. 3,616,621,
wherein the access means was provided at an end wall of the bag as
opposed to a longitudinal side wall. However, the object of that
patent in reducing the number of apertures which need be provided
in the blank for simplifying the assembly and the machinery which
assembles these bags is similarly accomplished by the present
construction. In fact, only one aperture need be provided in the
blank which forms the present filter bag, as to be described in
connection with FIG. 4. In this respect, the filter bag is
extremely simple to construct, since it is not necessary to align a
plurality of apertures in a blank which, when the bag is assembled,
together define an opening therein. For this reason, the assembly
of the subject bag 10 is less critical and the equipment which
forms the same may be less complex in construction and
operation.
Referring to FIG. 4, a blank 29 is shown which, when assembled,
forms the bag 10 described above. The basic blank 29, with the
exception of the location of the aperture or access means opening,
is substantially the same as that shown and described in my U.S.
Pat. No. 3,616,621. The assembly procedures of the two bags is
essentially the same and, to the extent to which the procedure are
not described in this application, reference is hereby had to my
above referenced patent for a more detailed and fuller description
of the procedure or steps in the assembly of the bag from the
blank.
The blank 29 is generally rectangular in configuration and is
defined by two transverse marginal edges 30 and 32 which determine
the length of the bag. Spaced from the marginal edge 30 is a
transverse fold line 34 which is parallel to the marginal edge 30.
Disposed between the transverse marginal edge 30 and the fold line
34 is a second transverse fold line 36 which is parallel to the
aforementioned fold line and the marginal edge.
The blank 29 is also defined by generally shorter longitudinal
marginal edges 38 and 40. A plurality of longitudinal fold lines
42-47 are provided which are spaced between the longitudinal
marginal edges 38 and 40 as shown in FIG. 4 and these longitudinal
fold lines intersect the transverse fold lines 34 and 36 to define
a series of panels which, singly or in combination, define a front
wall forming member, a rear wall forming member, a pair of opposing
side wall forming members and a top wall forming member. These
latter wall forming members respectfully form the front, rear, side
and top walls above described in connection with FIGS. 1-3 when the
blank 29 is assembled into the bag 10.
A pair of slits 48 and 49 are provided in the region of the
longitudinal marginal edge 38 and a similar pair of slit 50 and 51
are provided in the region of the longitudinal edge 40. Each of the
slits 48-51 are parallel to each other and to the longitudinal fold
lines and marginal edges and extend longitudinally from the
transverse marginal edge 30 towards the transverse fold line 36.
The slits 48 and 50 are disposed to the left of longitudinal fold
lines 42 and 45 respectively while the slits 49 and 51 are disposed
to the right of the respective longitudinal fold lines 44 and 47,
as viewed in FIG. 4.
Diagonal fold lines 54 and 55 extend from the slits 48 and 49
respectively to an intersection point 56 within a side wall forming
member 16. The intersection point 56 is located at the transverse
fold line 34 where the latter intersects the longitudinal fold line
43 which extends along the center of the corresponding side wall
forming member. Similarly, the diagonal fold lines 58 and 59 extend
from the slits 50 and 51 to an intersection point 60 at a point
where the transverse fold line 34 intersects the longitudinal fold
line 46 extending along the center of the other side wall forming
member.
The aforementioned slits and fold lines permit the top wall 18,
when assembled, to move from a folded position substantially
parallel to the front and rear walls 12, 14 of the resulting bag 10
to a position substantially normal to the longitudinal direction of
the bag 10 when the same is in an expanded condition.
The above described fold lines and slits divide the blank 29 into a
plurality of panels. The longitudinal fold lines 42-47 divide the
blank 29 into seven longitudinal sections A-G. The slit 48 and the
diagonal fold line 54, together with the transverse fold line 34
and 36 divide the section A into panels A1-A4. The transverse fold
lines 34 and 36, together with the diagonal fold line 54 divide the
section B into panels B1-B4. Similarly, the section C is divided
into panels C1-C4 by the transverse fold lines 34 and 36 and the
diagonal fold line 55. The diagonal fold lines 34 and 36, the
diagonal fold lines 55 and 58, and the slits 49 and 50 divide the
section D into panels D1-D5. Sections E, F and G are divided
respectively into panels E1-E4, F1-F4, and G1-G4 similarly to the
manner in which sections C, B and A are divided. The division of
the sections E, F and G is accomplished by means of the transverse
fold lines 34 and 36, diagonal fold lines 58 and 59 and the slit
51.
An important fold line portion is defined by the reference numeral
62, this fold line portion being that portion of the transverse
fold line 36 which extends between the longitudinal fold lines 44
and 45. The fold line portion 62 is, as will become apparent
hereafter, the fold line which separates the front wall 12 from the
top wall 18 when the bag 10 is fully assembled. This fold line
portion 62 is indicated in FIGS. 2 and 6-9.
An important feature of the present invention is the provision of
access means in the front wall 12, as described above, adjacent to
the top wall 18. To locate the access means 21 in the position
described above, an opening or aperture is provided between the
fold line portion 62 and the fold line 34. The aperture may consist
of a section removed from the panel D4, or, as shown, may consist
of a flap 64 punched out in the panel D4. As described above, the
flap 64 may be disposed anywhere within the panel D4 between the
longitudinal fold lines 44 and 45 and the transverse fold line 34
and transverse fold line portion 62. The construction of the
reenforcing member which retains the bag connected to a vacuum
cleaner element is not critical insofar as the present invention is
concerned and any reenforcing or stiffening arrangements may be
utilized. For example, the access means 21 described in connection
with FIG. 1 or the rectangular collar described in my above
referenced issued patent are suitable for this purpose.
The blank 29 may be formed of any suitable sheet of air permeable
material commonly used in the manufacturer of vacuum cleaner filter
bags. Advantageously, the bag is chemically treated to inhibit the
growth of bacteria, resist mold and mildew and retard growth of
fungi. The tabs 66 and the cutouts 68 are formed in the manufacture
of blanks with certain machinery. However, these blanks and cutouts
are not essential features of the present invention and may be
deleted without compromising the advantageous features of the
present invention.
The assembly of the bag 10 from the blank 29 will now be described.
The blanks A4, B4 and C4 are folded about respective fold lines 42,
43 and 44 and the panels E4, F4 and G4 are similarly folded about
respective fold lines 45, 46 and 47 to bring the panels B4 and C4
into opposition to one another and bring the panels E4 and F4 into
opposition to each other as shown in FIG. 5. When this is done, the
panels A4 and G4 overlap at the longitudinal marginal edges 38 and
40 as shown in FIG. 5 to together define the rear wall 14. The
marginal edges are now joined together as with adhesive. The rear
wall 14 is thereby positioned in opposition to the panel D5 which
forms the front wall 12.
The panels A2, B1, C1 and D2 are then folded about the fold lines
36, 54 and 55 to bring the panels C2 and C3 into opposition with
one another and to bring the panels B2 and B3 into opposition to
one another. Similarly, the panels D3, E1, F1 and G2 are folded
about the fold lines 36, 58 and 59 to bring the panels E2 in
opposition to the panel E3 and to bring the panel F2 in opposition
with the panel F3. When this is achieved, the panels B2, B3, B4,
C2, C3, C4 form one side wall 16 while the opposing side wall 16 is
formed by the panels E2, E3, E4, F2, F3, and F4. Each of these side
walls 16 is in the form of a gusset which can be folded or
collapsed as suggested in FIGS. 2 and 6-9.
The panels A1, A2, G1 and G2 are now folded about the fold lines
36, 42 and 47 to bring the panels A1, A2, G1 and G2 into
overlapping relationship with the panels B1 and F1. Similarly, the
panels D1, D2 and D3 are folded about fold lines 36, 44 and 45 into
abutting relationship with respective panels C1 and E1. When this
is done, the panel D1 is moved into overlapping relationship with
the panels B1, C1, E1, F1 and at least partially abuts against
panels A1 and G1.
The panels A4 and G4 are initially joined to each other at the
edges 38 and 40 in any conventional manner, such as by adhesive.
Adhesive is now provided between the panels C1 and D2, A2 and B1,
D3 and E1, G2 and F1, as well as between D1 and each of the panels
A1 and G1. In this construction, it becomes clear that the top wall
18 comprises a multi-layered arrangement which includes panels A1,
G1, A2, G2, B1, F1, C1, E1, D2, D3, and D1. This multi-layered top
wall is used to advantage in the present construction to withstand
the streams of air and particles which flow into the bag, as will
be described hereafter.
The final step in assembly of the bag is the rolling up of the
panels A4, B4, C4, D5, E4, F4 and G4 or the front, rear and side
walls to form the closed end 20. As described above, any suitable
conventional means may be utilized to retain the rolled condition
of the end of the bag.
The advantages of the present vacuum cleaner filter bag 10 over the
known prior art bags will be described in connection with FIGS.
6-9. By locating the inlet means 21 in the front wall 12 proximate
to the top wall 18 or adjacent to the fold line portion 62, the
inlet means 21 is disposed on a portion of the front wall 12 which
is in opposition to a portion of the top wall 18 when the bag is
folded. Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, a tubular vacuum cleaner
element 70 is shown to be connected to, in cooperating
relationship, with the inlet means 21. The arrow 72 represents a
stream of air which contains the particles of waste material, and
possible moisture in the form of liquid droplets. The fragmented
view illustrates that the jet or stream of air 72 impinges upon the
top wall 18 which causes the latter to angularly move or pivot
about the fold line portion 62, moving towards a position
substantially normal to the front wall 12. When this is done, the
top wall 18 unfolds the rear wall 14 to thereby unfold the bag to a
substantially fully extended condition as shown in FIG. 7. When the
top wall 18 has moved sufficiently to move out of the stream 72,
the rear wall 14 now intercepts the stream and the latter causes
the front and rear walls 12 and 14 to separate, this further
causing the bag 10 to move to the extended condition. Thus, a first
important feature of the present invention is the specific location
of the inlet means 21 as above described to utilize the jet or
stream of air which is introduced into the bag to expand the bag
during use of the same.
When the vacuum cleaner tubular element 70 is disposed as shown in
FIGS. 6 and 7, the portion of the rear wall 17 in opposition to the
opening 21, designated by the reference numeral 74, may be
reenforced in any conventional manner to withstand the recurrent
stream of air, waste particles and, possibly, humidity which
impinges thereon during use of the bag.
To avoid the reenforcement of the portion 74 as above described, it
is possible, with the improved bag of the present invention, to
orient a vacuum cleaner element 70' in a direction which causes the
stream of air 72' to be more upwardly directed than the stream 70,
as viewed in the FIGURES. With such positioning of the vacuum
cleaner element 70', the stream of air 72' impinges initially on
the top wall 18 to open the bag, as described above, and continues
to impinge upon the multi-layered and reenforced top wall 18 during
use, as suggested in FIG. 9. With this arrangement, no additional
reenforcement is necessary since the top wall 18 is sufficiently
reenforced to withstand the eroding forces generated by the stream
72'. Herein lies a second important feature of the present
invention. As just described, positioning of the access means 21 in
the front wall 12 adjacent to the generally stronger, multi-layered
top wall 18 permits continued interception of the same of the
erosive air stream 72'. Impingement of the air stream on the top
wall 18 increases the life span of the bag 10 and prevents breakage
of the same.
Numerous alterations of the structure herein disclosed will suggest
themselves to those skilled in the art. However, it is to be
understood that the present disclosure relates to a preferred
embodiment of the invention which is for purposes of illustration
only and is not to be construed as a limitation of the
invention.
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