TEAR OPEN BAG WITH TRANSMISSION BARRIER
A bag configured for holding contents and configured for permitting a user to dispense the contents from the bag. The bag includes at least front and rear panels of generally flexible film. The bag defines a volume adapted for holding the contents. The bag includes a tear line for facilitating opening of the bag body by tearing the bag body along the zone of weakness. The tear line includes an embossment structure. In one embodiment, the embossment structure has a tear force that is substantially constant over the entire length of the tear line. The embossment structure may have a particular arcuate shape. The embossment structure may include indentations having a non-linear shape.
The present disclosure generally relates to a bag adapted for holding contents, and, more particularly, to such a bag including a tear open feature that inhibits transmission of substances into and out of the bag prior to opening.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONBags used for packaging various materials include pre-formed zones of weakness on tear lines for facilitating opening of the bags. For example, materials such as water conditioning pellets, bird seed, mulch, salt, fertilizer, and other materials may be packaged in bags having pre-formed tear lines. Conventional types of pre-formed tear lines include perforations or slits. These are openings which extend through the material of the bag, exposing contents in the interior of the bag to the outside environment. Such openings are unfavorable because contents from inside the bag can escape through the openings and contaminants such as water can infiltrate the bag through the openings.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIn one aspect, the present invention is directed to a bag configured for holding contents and configured for permitting a user to dispense the contents from the bag. The bag includes a bag body including at least front and rear panels of generally flexible film. The bag body defines a volume adapted for holding the contents. The front and rear panels include respective inner surfaces which face each other and form at least part of the volume. The front and rear panels include respective outer surfaces which face away from the volume. The panels each have upper ends, lower ends, and left and right sides which together respectively form an upper end, a lower end, and left and right sides of the body. The bag body includes a zone of weakness on at least one of the front and rear panels for facilitating opening of the bag body by tearing the bag body along the zone of weakness. The zone of weakness includes an embossment structure that has a tear force that is substantially constant over the entire length of the zone of weakness.
In another aspect, the present invention is directed to a bag configured for holding contents and configured for permitting a user to dispense the contents from the bag. The bag includes a bag body including at least front and rear panels of generally flexible film. The bag body defines a volume adapted for holding the contents. The front and rear panels include respective inner surfaces which face each other and form at least part of the volume. The bag body includes edge margins. A zone of weakness on at least one of the front and rear panels facilitates opening of the bag body by tearing the bag body along the zone of weakness. The zone of weakness includes an embossment structure extending along a path from a first of the edge margins to a second of the edge margins. Adjacent the first edge margin, the path includes a first portion starting at said first edge margin and extending away from said second edge margin and a second portion extending from said first portion to said second edge margin.
In yet another aspect, the present invention is directed to a bag configured for holding contents and configured for permitting a user to dispense the contents from the bag. The bag includes a bag body including at least front and rear panels of generally flexible film. The bag body defines a volume adapted for holding the contents. The front and rear panels include respective inner surfaces which face each other and form at least part of the volume. The bag body includes a zone of weakness on at least one of the front and rear panels for facilitating opening of the bag body by tearing the bag body along the zone of weakness. The zone of weakness includes an embossment structure. The embossment structure includes a series of indentations each having a non-linear shape.
Other features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTIONReferring to
The bag includes a body defining a volume 12 (
In the illustrated embodiment, the generally flexible film forming the panels 14, 16 is manufactured as a tube having opposite open ends. The front and rear panels are front and rear portions of the tube. The flexible film material extends continuously between the side margins of the front and rear panels except at the upper and lower ends of the bag 10 where the front panel is sealed to the rear panel defining upper and lower seal seams 20 to close the open ends of the tube. In other words, the bag 10 includes seal seams 20 traversing the upper and lower edge margins of the bag 10. The bag 10 has a skirt 26 at the upper edge margin of the bag and a skirt 26 at the lower edge margin of the bag. The skirts 26 are formed by the free ends of the panels 14, 16 which are outboard from the seal seams 20.
It will be understood that at certain stages during production, such as before the bag 10 is filled with the contents, the bag may not have a seal seam 20 at the upper and/or lower edge margin. Bags may have other constructions without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, the front and rear panels 14, 16 may be formed as separate sheets of material which are sealed together about their peripheral edge margins to form the volume 12 between the sheets. Moreover, the front and rear panels 14, 16 need not be connected directly to each other. For example, other structure such as additional panels of generally flexible film (e.g., a gusset) may extend between the front and rear panels 14, 16.
The bag 10 includes features which facilitate opening of the bag for dispensing contents from the bag. In particular, as shown in
The notch 32 provides a user with a clear visual and tactile indicator of where it is suggested to begin tearing along the tear line 30. In the illustrated embodiment, the notch 32 is formed in the upper skirt 26. Desirably, the notch 32 is shaped and sized to be visually distinct from adjacent portions of the bag 10. For example, the notch 32 is large enough and is shaped differently than waves, ruffles, indentations, or other structure on the skirt 26. In the illustrated embodiment, the notch 32 defines an opening having the shape of an irregular pentagon. The notch 32 has opposite generally parallel sides connected to a lower portion which forms a point leading into the slit 34.
The slit 34 extends downward from the notch 32 toward an upper end of the embossment structure 36 and assists the user in beginning to tear the embossment structure. In the illustrated embodiment, the slit 34 extends entirely across the upper seal seam 20. Accordingly, the user does not need to tear across the seal seam 20 when tearing the tear line 30. The slit 34 extending across the seal seam 20 may reduce the initial tear force by about 25 to 45 percent, and keeps the tear force more consistent of its full length. If the slit 34 extends across and beyond the seal seam 20 the slit may create a slight opening in the bag body. Even in this instance, there is no significant compromise to the transmission barrier at the tear line 30. Other slit configurations may be used without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, the slit 34 may stop short of the seal seam 20 or may extend only partially across the seal seam.
The embossment structure 36 includes a series of indentations 40. The indentations 40 are arranged one after another along a path. The embossment structure 36 may extend partially or entirely across a portion of the bag 10 or from one edge margin to another. In the illustrated embodiment, the embossment structure 36 traverses a corner of the bag 10, from the upper edge margin to the right side edge margin. The indentations 40 extend along a curvilinear path. Other arrangements, such as indentations extending along other paths or along paths having other shapes (e.g., a rectilinear path) may be used without departing from the scope of the present invention.
A portion of the embossment structure 36 is shown in closer detail in
Referring to
The indentations 40 each have a non-linear shape; meaning that the indentations are not very thin rectangles such as would be formed by a knife edge type tool. The non-linear shape of the indentations 40 improves the consistency of force required to tear along the embossment structure 36. Each indentation 40 includes an intermediate portion between its front and rear ends 40A, 40B. The width of each indentation 40 at its front and rear ends 40A, 40B is less than the width of the indentation at its intermediate portion. In the illustrated embodiment, the front and rear ends 40A, 40B of each indentation 40 are pointed. The tear line 30 includes a tearing path formed by the indentations 40 along which the tear line is most prone to tearing. In the illustrated embodiment, the tearing path is arcuate. Each indentation 40 includes first and second sides 40C, 40D extending between its front and rear ends 40A, 40B along the length of the indentation. The first side 40C is positioned in register with and forms a segment of the tearing path. The first sides 40C of the indentations 40 are aligned along the tearing path to form the tearing path. The pointed front and rear ends 40A, 40B of the indentations are positioned on the tearing path. The pointed front and rear ends 40A, 40B of adjacent indentations are connected to each other by the generally linear connecting segments 50, which are also positioned in register with and form part of the tearing path. In the illustrated embodiment, the indentations 40 include a generally semi-circular shape. Other sizes and shapes of indentations may be used (including in some embodiments linear shaped indentations) without departing from the scope of the present invention.
The notch 32, slit 34, and embossment structure 36 may be formed on the bag 10 using the same or separate tools. For example, the embossment structure 36 may be formed on bags in a continuous fashion using a rotary die unit. Such a die unit may include flexible or rigid dies or rollers between which the film is moved. At least one of the rollers is a male roller including a raised pattern which impresses a corresponding embossed pattern on the film. Optionally, the other roller may be a female roller including an indented pattern corresponding to the raised pattern on the other roller for receiving the raised pattern and the indentations as they are formed in the film. If the front and rear panels 14, 16 are already arranged in opposing relationship, the embossed pattern is applied in register to both the front and rear panels. Such a configuration is illustrated in the schematic partial section of
In the illustrated embodiment, the tear line 30 is provided on both the front and rear panels 14, 16 of the bag. In other words, the notch 32, slit 34, and embossment structure 36 are formed in both the front and rear panels 14, 16. The tear line 30 or portions of the tear line may be formed in only one of the front and rear panels 14, 16 without departing from the scope of the present invention.
As is now apparent, the bag 10 provides several advantages. In use, the notch 32 makes the tear line 30 clearly identifiable, and the slit 34 extending from the notch facilitates easy initiation of tearing through the seal seam 20. The embossment structure 36 facilitates tearing of the bag 10 along a predetermined tearing path to form a desired opening in the bag 10. The embossment structure 36 is free from any openings extending through the film forming the bag 10 at the embossment structure such that contents inside the bag are less likely to leak from the bag, and moisture and contaminants are less likely to infiltrate the bag through the tear line 30. Accordingly, contents in the bag 10 are less likely to escape and form a sticky, dusty, or otherwise undesirable residue or coating on the exterior surface of the bag. Contents having relatively smaller particle size (e.g., finer grain salt) can be contained in the bag 10 without risk of the contents leaking out of the tear line 30. In addition, contents in the bag 10 are less likely to be contaminated, such as by water entering the bag through the tear line 30.
Desirably, the force required to tear along the tear line 30 to open the bag 10 (i.e., the “tear force”) is as small as possible, but the tear line is strong enough to resist opening in response to some forces not intended to tear the tear line. For example, the tear force may be between about 2 and 4 pounds. This makes it easy for the user to open the bag 10. In some embodiments, embossment structure 36 is configured to have such a minimal tear force while being strong enough to resist inadvertent opening such as by bursting or rupturing if the bag impacts the ground after being dropped. A test used to quantify the ability of a bag to withstand inadvertent opening of the bag is referred to as a Drop Test. The Drop Test as used herein means dropping a closed bag containing contents (e.g., granular salt) which substantially fill the internal volume of the bag from a height of four feet such that the bag falls freely and strikes and comes to rest against an impact surface (e.g., a concrete floor) without the tear line partially or completely opening, tearing, or bursting (i.e., the tear line remains unbroken). Pursuant to the Drop Test, the bag is dropped six separate times so that the bag strikes the impact surface one time on each of the top and bottom and front, rear, left, and right sides of the bag. Bags according to the present invention (e.g., including an embossment structure) have been constructed and tested pursuant to the Drop Test. The Drop Test is generally according to FDA B-12. The embossment structure had a tear force of between about 2 and 4 pounds, and the bags passed the Drop Test.
Referring to
In this embodiment, the embossment structure 136 is constructed to tear in response to a tear force that is substantially constant over the entire length of the embossment structure, notwithstanding the change in direction of the embossment structure from extending generally lengthwise of the bag 110 (e.g., a “machine direction” of the bag) to generally widthwise of the bag (e.g., a “cross-machine direction” of the bag). For example, the tear force may be about 4 pounds or less. As shown in
In the illustrated embodiment, the series of indentations 140 include three separate regions 160A-160C along the path of indentations. The first region of indentations 160A extends along the portion of the path that is oriented in the predominantly upper end to lower end direction of the bag body. The third region of indentations 160C extends along the portion of the path that is oriented in the predominantly left side to right side direction. The second region 160B extends along an intermediate portion of the path between the first and second regions 160A, 160C. The indentations 140 in the first, second, and third regions 160A-160C are spaced apart from one another different distances (i.e., the connecting segments 150 have different lengths in each of the zones). For example, the spacing between adjacent indentations 140 in the first region 160A may be about 0.20 inches (5.1 mm), the spacing between adjacent indentations in the second region 160B may be about 0.10 inches (2.5 mm), and the spacing between adjacent indentations in the third region 140C may be about 0.05 inches (1.3 mm). In other words, the density of indentations 140 in the first region 160A is on the order of three to four times greater than the density of the indentations in the third region 160C. Other spacings or densities may be used without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, there may be two regions of different indentation spacings, having for example spacings of 0.06 inches (1.6 mm) and 0.19 inches (4.8 mm), respectively. The spacing or density of the indentations 140 may more gradually change or change continuously along substantially all or a portion of the path of indentations. The ration of spacing between the largest and smallest spacing may be other than described within the scope of the present invention.
Referring to
Referring to
Referring again to
Having described the invention in detail, it will be apparent that modifications and variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention defined in the appended claims.
As various changes could be made in the above constructions and methods without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
Claims
1. A bag configured for holding contents and configured for permitting a user to dispense the contents from the bag, the bag comprising:
- a bag body including at least front and rear panels of generally flexible film, the bag body defining a volume adapted for holding the contents, the front and rear panels including respective inner surfaces which face each other and form at least part of the volume, the front and rear panels including respective outer surfaces which face away from the volume, the panels each having upper ends, lower ends, and left and right sides which together respectively form an upper end, a lower end, and left and right sides of the body; the bag body including a zone of weakness on at least one of the front and rear panels for facilitating opening of the bag body by tearing the bag body along the zone of weakness, the zone of weakness comprising an embossment structure that has a tear force that is substantially constant over the entire length of the zone of weakness.
2. A bag as set forth in claim 1 wherein the tear force is less than 4 pounds force.
3. A bag as set forth in claim 2 wherein the zone of weakness remains unbroken after a Drop Test.
4. A bag as set forth in claim 1 wherein the embossment structure is free from any opening passing through the front or rear panel to prevent the contents from escaping from the volume through the zone of weakness before the zone of weakness is torn.
5. A bag as set forth in claim 1 wherein the embossment structure includes deformations at which the flexible film is stretched beyond a yield point of the flexible film but not stretched beyond a break point of the flexible film.
6. A bag as set forth in claim 1 wherein the embossment structure comprises a series of indentations each having a non-linear shape.
7. A bag as set forth in claim 6 wherein the indentations are arranged in one after another along a path including at least one of a rectilinear and curvilinear shape.
8. A bag as set forth in claim 7 wherein each of the indentations has front and rear ends and an intermediate portion between the front and rear ends, each of the indentations including a length extending along the path formed by the indentations between the front and rear ends, each of the indentations including a width extending generally perpendicular to the path formed by the indentations, the width of each indentation at its front and rear ends being less than the width of the indentation at its intermediate portion.
9. A bag as set forth in claim 8 wherein the indentations each have a generally semi-circular shape.
10. A bag as set forth in claim 8 wherein the rear end of each indentation is positioned adjacent the front end of an immediately previous indentation in the series, and the front end of each indentation is positioned adjacent the rear end of an immediately subsequent indentation in the series.
11. A bag as set forth in claim 10 wherein the indentations are spaced from each other.
12. A bag as set forth in claim 10 wherein the front and rear ends of each indentation are pointed.
13. A bag as set forth in claim 8 wherein the zone of weakness includes a tearing path along which the zone of weakness is most prone to tearing, each indentation including first and second sides extending along the length of the indentation, the first side being positioned in register with and forming a segment of the tearing path.
14. A bag as set forth in claim 13 wherein each indentation includes front and rear ends, the front and rear ends of each indentation being pointed and being positioned on the tearing path.
15. A bag as set forth in claim 8 wherein the zone of weakness further includes a notch positioned adjacent the upper end of the bag body and extending toward an upper end of the series of indentations to facilitate initiation of tearing along the tearing path, the notch being sized to be visually distinct from the adjacent portions of the bag.
16. A bag as set forth in claim 15 wherein the zone of weakness further includes a slit positioned between the notch and the series of indentations, the slit extending from a lower end of the notch toward the upper end of the series of indentations to facilitate initiation of tearing along the tearing path.
17. A bag as set forth in claim 16 wherein the bag includes a seal seam traversing an edge margin of the bag, the upper end of the series of indentations and the notch and slit being generally aligned with each other and the slit extending through the seal seam.
18. A bag as set forth in claim 1 wherein the embossment structure comprises a series of indentations that are spaced apart different distances from each other along the zone of weakness.
19. A bag as set forth in claim 18 wherein the indentations extend along a path including a portion that is oriented in predominantly an upper end to lower end direction of the bag body and a portion that is oriented predominantly in a left side to right side direction of the bag body, the spacing between adjacent indentations being greater when the path is oriented in the predominantly upper end to lower end direction than when the path is oriented in the predominantly left side to right side direction.
20. A bag as set forth in claim 19 wherein the spacing between adjacent indentations in the path portion oriented in the predominantly upper end to lower end direction is about three times greater than the spacing of adjacent indentations in the path portion that is located in the predominantly left side to right side direction.
21. A bag configured for holding contents and configured for permitting a user to dispense the contents from the bag, the bag comprising:
- a bag body including at least front and rear panels of generally flexible film, the bag body defining a volume adapted for holding the contents, the front and rear panels including respective inner surfaces which face each other and form at least part of the volume, the bag body including edge margins, a zone of weakness on at least one of the front and rear panels for facilitating opening of the bag body by tearing the bag body along the zone of weakness, the zone of weakness comprising an embossment structure, the embossment structure extending along a path from a first of the edge margins to a second of the edge margins, adjacent the first edge margin, the path including a first portion starting at said first edge margin and extending away from said second edge margin and a second portion extending from said first portion to said second edge margin.
22. A bag as set forth in claim 21 wherein the path is generally arcuate in shape.
23. A bag configured for holding contents and configured for permitting a user to dispense the contents from the bag, the bag comprising:
- a bag body including at least front and rear panels of generally flexible film, the bag body defining a volume adapted for holding the contents, the front and rear panels including respective inner surfaces which face each other and form at least part of the volume, the bag body including a zone of weakness on at least one of the front and rear panels for facilitating opening of the bag body by tearing the bag body along the zone of weakness, the zone of weakness comprising an embossment structure, the embossment structure comprising a series of indentations each having a non-linear shape.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 23, 2012
Publication Date: Sep 26, 2013
Inventors: Brad Sterling (Plattsburgh, NY), Michael Lepone (Champlain, NY)
Application Number: 13/428,300
International Classification: B65D 65/28 (20060101); B65D 33/00 (20060101); B65D 75/62 (20060101);