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.

Description

RELATED INVENTIONS

[0001] Under 35 U.S.C §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.

GOVERNMENT INTEREST STATEMENT

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.

Claims

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.