Plastic bag with integral handle

United States Patent mi 3,580,486 (72 ] Inventor Emanuel Kugler

124 Richmond Ave., Lawrence, N.Y. 11559

<td> 121]</td><td> Appl. No.</td><td> 808,581</td>

<td> [22]</td><td> Filed</td><td> Mar. 19,1969</td>

<td> [45]</td><td> Patented</td><td> May 25,1971</td>

[ 54 ] PLASTIC BAG WITH INTEGRAL HANDLE 3 Claims, 12 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S. Cl........................................................ 229/54,

150/12,229/61

[51] Int.CI.........................................................B65d 31/08,

B65d 33/10

[50] Field of Search............................................ 229/54,58,

61; 150/12

[56] References Cited

UNITED STATES PATENTS

3,490,682 1/1970 Schwartzkopf............... 229/54

<td> 3,490,681</td><td> 1/1970</td><td> Niemeyer.....................</td><td> 229/54</td>

<td> 3,180,557</td><td> 4/1965</td><td> Thulin..........................</td><td> 229/54</td>

<td></td><td colspan="2"> FOREIGN PATENTS</td><td></td>

<td> 273,685</td><td> 6/1965</td><td> Australia......................</td><td> 229/58</td>

<td> 1,463,187</td><td> 11/1966</td><td> France .........................</td><td> 229/54</td>

<td> 921,752</td><td> 3/1963</td><td> Great Britain................</td><td> 229/61</td>

<td> 544,361</td><td> 6/1956</td><td> Italy .............................</td><td> 150/12</td>

Primary Examiner—Leonard Summer Attorney—Amster and Rothstein

ABSTRACT: A plastic bag having an integral straplike handle at its upper end and having a bottom gusset or satchel bottom construction which unfolds under the weight of items carried in the bag into a three dimensional configuration.

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PATENTED MAY25I97I

3.580.486

SHEET 1 OF 2

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ATTORNEYS

PATENTED MAY25I97I

3,580,486

SHEET 2 OF 2

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ATTORNEYS

3,580,486

PLASTIC BAG WITH INTEGRAL HANDLE

The present invention relates generally to plastic bags and more particularly to an improved plastic bag which is particularly suitable for heavy duty use.

The availability of low cost, heavy gauge plastic materials having vastly increased strength makes it possible to utilize bags made of such materials in a wide variety of applications, such as shopping bags. Such bags normally require a handle or other carrying means. In conventional paper bags carrying handles are normally attached by stapling, gluing or the like resulting in a bag of significantly decreased utility due to the ability of the handle to tear away from the bag and increased cost.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a strong plastic bag having an integral handle.

A plastic bag demonstrating the objects and advantages of the present invention includes a plastic bag formed of either plastic sheet or plastic tubular stock and including a bottom gusset or satchel bottom to increase the holding capacity of the bag since the handle has sufficient strength for such a carrying function.

The above brief description as well as further objects, features and advantages of the present invention, will be more fully appreciated by reference to the following detailed description and drawings of presently preferred embodiments of the present invention, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the first embodiment of a plastic bag according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1, illustrating further structural features of the bag;

FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view of a corner of the bag of FIG. 1;

FIG 4 is a partial perspective view of the side seam or weld of the bag of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a partial perspective view of the bag bottom in unfolded condition;

FIG. 6 is a front view of a second embodiment of a plastic bag according to the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the bag of FIG. 5 taken along the line 7-7 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a third plastic bag embodiment according to the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a partial sectional view of the bag taken along the line 9-9 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a partial front view Of an expanded bag bottom for the embodiment shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 is a bottom view in partially unfolded condition of the bag bottom shown in FIG. 10; and

FIG. 12 is a partial side elevational view in unfolded condition taken along the line 12-12 of FIG. 10.

Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1—3, a first embodiment of a bag according to the present invention is generally designated 10. The bag includes a front wall 12 and a rear wall 14 joined to each other along their respective opposite sides by heat seals or welds 16 and 18. The bag 10 is provided with an integral handle 20 one end of which 22 is integral with the front face of the bag 12 and the other end 24 of the handle being integral with the rear face of the bag 14.

The bag embodiment of FIG. 1 is formed from tubular film stock in which the handle 20 is formed by simultaneously cutting the desired amount of material from the front and rear faces of the tubular stock which ultimately correspond with faces 12 and 14 of the bag. Completing the construction of the bag 10 of FIG. 1 are gusset constructions 26 and 28 formed in the integral handle and bag bottom respectively. The handle gusset 26 comprises facing gusset walls 26α and 26b terminating in a lower fold line 26c. A gussetted handle is particularly advantageous for use with the gussetted bottom bag since the bag structure is capable of large capacity and may be filled to its full width while providing sufficient length of handle for carrying purposes.

Completing the construction of the bag 10 is the previously noted bottom gusset construction 28. The gusset 28 is of the satchel bottom-type and includes a bottom wall 28α which in the folded or flat condition of the bag 10, forms two half-size wall portions 28b, 28c delineated by a fold line 284. In the flat condition the fold line 284 occupies a position between the front and rear walls 12 and 14. In a preferred form as illustrated herein the wall portions 28b and 28c are respectively continuations of the front and rear walls 12 and 14 which are formed by a conventional gusset-forming mechanism. The satchel bottom is readily distinguishable from a conventional gusset however, in that the opposite marginal edges of the wall portions 28b and 28c are each oriented at a 45° angle as clearly shown in the drawings. The second feature consists of the wall portions 28b, 28c having lines of heat sealing herein, individually and collectively designated 30 connecting said edges to the bottom portions of the front and rear walls 12 and 14, respectively, but otherwise being free of any connection to each other. The unconnected wall portions 28b and 28c are thus capable of unfolding in opposite lateral directions with respect to side welds 16 and 18 of bag 10 as clearly shown in FIG. 5. Moreover, during this lateral unfolding the sections of wall portions 28b and 28c immediately adjacent to the juncture of side weld 16 and 18 and heat seal lines 30 unfold in the vertical plane of the side welds 16 and 18. In this manner as best seen in FIG. 5 a triangular section of wall portions 28b and 28c forms an extension of the bag in the vertical plane directly beneath side welds 16 and 18, and square-shaped corners are provided at opposite sides along the bottom of the bag.

FIGS. 5 through 7 illustrate the details of an alternative embodiment of the invention which is particularly suitable when it is desired to print identifying markings or advertising material on the bag faces. Since such printing operations are not readily adaptable to tubular film stock the present invention contemplates a plastic bag 32 formed from plastic sheet material, which has normally been preprinted on both its faces. In this embodiment the bag comprises a front face 34 and a rear face 36 joined to each other along their respective opposite sides by heat seals or weld 38 and 40. The bag 32 is provided with an integral handle 42 comprising a front face 44 integral with face 34 of the bag and a rear face 46 integral with rear face 36 of said bag. Handle portion 44 and 46 are joined together at their upper edges by a heat seal or weld 48. As in the previously described embodiment handle 42 is formed by simultaneously cutting away plastic material from the portions of the sheet stock which ultimately form faces 34 and 36.

Completing the construction of the bag 32 is a bottom gusset SO, similar to the satchel-type gusset previously described in FIG. 3—5 and being formed of facing gusset walls 50α and 50b terminating in fold line 50c.

FIGS. 8 through 12 illustrate the details of an integral handle bag formed from tubular film stock which are provided with another form of gusset bottom. As shown in FIG. 8, a bag generally designated 52 and comprising front wall 54 and rear wall 56 joined to each other along their respective opposite sides by heat seals or welds 58 and 60 has an integral handle 62 attached thereto. As previously described with respect to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the handle 62 is formed by simultaneously cutting away sections of the tubular stock utilized to form facing walls 54 and 56 while leaving behind the handle-shaped portion 62.

FIG. 9—12 illustrate a bottom gusset which may be used in the bag embodiment shown in FIG. 8 as well as in the other bag embodiments depicted herein. In this embodiment the bag 52 is provided with an inward fold forming a gusset 64 comprised of facing gusset walls 64α and 64b formed as part of the front and rear walls 54 and 56 and converging along fold line 64c. The gusset fold is continuous and is formed in the tubular stock from which the bag 52 is formed prior to the application of the heat seals or welds 58 and 60.

FIG. 9 illustrates the gusset when the bag is in the folded condition. FIGS. 10—12 depict the position of the bottom gusset when the bag is unfolded. In the unfolded position the bag has a generally rectangular configuration as illustrated in

3,580,486

FIG. 12. While the extreme ends of walls 64α and 646 are welded into side seams 58 and 60, the major portion of these walls moves transversely under the action of added weight until the fold line 64c- and gusset walls 64α and 646 are all in the same plane. This movement results in the formation of an inner triangular section, defined by fold lines 66, 68 and 70, which is disposed in a substantially vertical plane with respect to the bag although it is integral with horizontally disposed gusset walls 64α and 646. FIG. 11 depicts a bottom view of the bag in partially unfolded condition. The action of weight on the bag bottom causes portions 72 and 74 of front and rear walls 54 and 56 to act as sidewalls of a generally boat-shaped bag. It will be understood by those persons skilled in the art that when the bag is fully loaded wall portions 72 and 74 may rotate counterclockwise about side weld 58 or 60 until they are in a relatively straight line and the bag bottom has assumed a generally rectangular shape. Regardless of the exact position of portions 72 and 74 they serve to stabilize the bag bottom so that it will be free-standing when placed on a surface.

From the foregoing description it will be readily appreciated that the plastic bag can be advantageously used along with its integral handle to carry heavy loads. It will be obvious to persons skilled in the art that a wide variety of changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, the true scope of which will now be pointed out in the appended claims.