Multiple compartment self-sealing plastic bag

Abstract

The present invention is a flexible self-sealing plastic bag with a heat-seal changing a single compartment bag to a dual or multiple compartment plastic bag made by heat sealing from the bottom or side of the bag through the self-sealer and opening. This allows carrying items that are best not mixed until use. It allows viewing of each component by just seeing one side of the multi-component bag. It protects one content from another because each compartment lies next to the other, not overlapping. The present invention allows marketing this idea in finished product of compartmentalized self-sealing plastic bags with each compartment opening independent of the other. It also allows kit marketing where an appliance, the heat-sealer is purchased as are commercially available plastic bags and the owner can compartmentalize the plastic bags as needed and in configurations to match the need at the time. The compartments can be rectangular or quadrilateral depending on the characteristics of the contents. They can even be triangular for things needed in small quantities as salt for a sandwich.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a method of dividing a self-sealing plastic bag into two or more compartments to contain different components of a snack, two medications, mix when applying materials, or any such need that a person might have to take one bag to serve two needs. This invention allows the person efficient carrying of components of a meal to the table elsewhere and, more particularly, relates to a method of having these components uncontaminated by the other until ready to consume or apply to the event, as for instance, a meal, a snack, a task, or periodic consumption as for medications.

2. Discussion of the Related Art

While the present invention has been described in terms of several preferred embodiments, it is not intended to limit the invention to the particular forms set forth. On the contrary, the present invention is intended to cover such alternatives, alterations, modifications, and equivalent structures and devices as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined within the appended claims.

Conventional means making a dual compartment self-sealable plastic bag is described in United States Patent Application 20050111764 published May 26, 2005 and filed Nov. 21, 2003 by Steven Solder, which, as described seals two plastic bags together by connecting the sides so as to keep each with the other and making the center layer of plastic in common with the two compartments. That is not the style of the present invention described here. The production methods uses heat sealing, but not as it is done in this present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a method of making commercially available self-sealing plastic bags into two compartment bags takes on stroke of a heat sealing device making a straight line seal from the opening of the bag to the bottom edge.

In another aspect of the present invention, a method of using these double compartment bags allows one to open one compartment at a time to fill it with one part of a snack, or one medication, or one part of a mix needing to be mixed with the other at application; and then one opens the other compartment and fills it with the other item wanted to available at the use time.

In another aspect of the present invention, a method buying commercially manufactured, packaged self sealing plastic bags, heat sealing the compartments and resealing the package with the label indicating the contents are now double compartment bags and offered at the market at a price reflecting the double compartment feature.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a method of filling the boxes with different proportions of compartments, where one number of the bags can be divided evenly, another number one quarter/three quarter, another number one fifth/four fifths and the like allowing various applications as for different types of food for snacks as equal compartments can be for apples and oranges, where imbalanced proportion compartments can carry vegetables and dressing.

These and other advantages and features of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the detailed description and accompanying drawings, while indicating preferred embodiments of the present invention, are given by way of illustration and not of limitation. Many changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the present invention without departing from the spirit thereof, and the invention includes all such modifications.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals represent like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 shows a plastic bag with the heat seal division of it into two compartments, here with one compartment smaller than the other viewing the plastic bag in its broad side defining the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an illustration of the dual compartment plastic bag in use, with here crackers in the large compartment and a spread in the smaller one for one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the dual compartment plastic bag shown first, in FIG. 3a, empty; in FIG. 3b, showing the large compartment filled with, here, crackers from one side, and in FIG. 3c, the filled bag with the smaller compartment, here, filled with a spread as three embodiments of the present invention;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

1. A First Embodiment of the Present Invention

Turning now to the drawings and initially to FIG. 1, a method of converting a commercially available self-sealing plastic bag into a dual compartment plastic bag 3 by applying a heat seal 1 from the bottom edge 9 to the opening 2 at the top, crossing and sealing even the self-sealing apparatus 4. Shown also are the left and right sides of the original bag, 7 and 8 respectively, and the resulting two compartments, here with compartment 5 being the larger one and compartment 6, the smaller one.

FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of the present invention wherein the double compartment plastic bag is filled with, here, crackers 15 in the larger compartment 5 and a spread 16 in the smaller compartment 6.

Turning now to FIGS. 3, and 3a, a side view of the empty plastic bag with the heat seal 4 running vertically between the bottom 9 and the opening 2; FIG. 3b showing the filled dual compartment plastic bag with the large compartment 5 toward the viewer with side 8 defined and showing the contents 15, the crackers; and FIG. 3c showing the filled dual compartment bag with the small compartment 6 toward the viewer and side 7 defined over the contents 16, the spread.

In practice, the commercial self-sealing plastic bag can have the heat seal make the two compartments any proportion from equal compartment size with setting the heat seal equal distances from sides 7 and 8 to having a full range of proportions of the two compartments. It can also allow diagonal use of the heat-sealer to change to proportion of the seal opening with the proportion of the compartment, say to accommodate different shaped items or to allow a restricted flow rate.

It is also included here, multiple compartment plastic bags since one can have multiple heat seals 1 from the bottom edge 9 to the opening 2 making the number of compartments as many as needed for the task at hand. For example, a person traveling might want to carry three or four types of pill medications that should not be stored in the same vessel. Taking a four compartment plastic bag, four types of pills could be carried holding the proper number of pills for the length of days out of town for each type of pill, each having its own compartment.

It is also recognized that in marketing, a package of dual compartment plastic bags can have the same proportion compartments or a package, marked appropriately, could carry a variety of compartment sizes or even a variety of compartment numbers, or a combination of each: equal size compartments, large and small compartments, and some with three compartments, again, equal size compartments and, others with one compartment being half the size and the other two quarter sized. There can be a large variety of these including different width plastic bags to allow a large number of compartments, equal or not equal in compartment sizes. There is a bag for all seasons, a bag for all reasons and the number and proportion of the compartments can be as broad as the imagination will allow uses.

This invention covers both the commercialization of multi-compartment self-sealing bags selling the bags in the same or multi-variety compartments, and, as a kitchen or shop appliance that will allow making the compartments of the bag when needed and in compartment proportions required, and in number of compartments required, and in making the compartments rectangular or quadrilateral allowing for heat sealing at any desired angle for the contents to be contained.

SLIDE NUMBERING DEFINED

• • 1 The seal making a baggy have two compartments
  • 2 The opening
  • 3 The baggy
  • 4 The baggy sealing mechanism
  • 5 One of two compartments
  • 6 The other compartment
  • 7 One of the two side edges
  • 8 The other side edge
  • 9 The edge at the bottom
  • 15 The contents of one compartment
  • 16 The contents of the second compartment

Claims

1. A multiple compartment self-sealing, resealable plastic bag that is constructed by heat sealing divisions from the bottom of the bag through the self-sealing area and on to the opening of the bag that:

a. allows opening one compartment at a time,

b. allows placement of different contents in each,

c. allows sealing closed each compartment, one at a time or all together,

d. allows no mixing of the contents of the compartments until needed or desired, and,

e. allows using as many compartments as needed leaving some empty if not needed.

2. The multiple compartment self-sealing, resealable plastic bag in claim 1 can have a range of sizes and will function as long as the heat seal is continuous from the bottom edge, through the sealing lines, to the opening.

3. A multiple compartment self-sealing plastic bag can contain materials of divergent qualities as liquids as dressings and solids as fresh vegetables, from eye glass lenses and marbles, from carpet tacks and hole patching putty for floors because the bag is compartmentalized across its width, one content will not affect the other.

4. The multiple compartment plastic bag in claim 3 shows all contents as it lays flat allowing the viewer to know all the separated contents without disturbing the bag.

5. The multiple compartment bag in claim 1 can be marketed as finished products, as in boxes of same or different proportioned multi-compartment self-sealing plastic bags, or, with a commercial plastic bag to be purchased and just the holders and heat-sealing device which makes the plastic bag into a multi compartment bag offered as an appliance.

6. The multiple compartment plastic bag in claim 1 that can heat-seal the compartments at any angle that allows its origin at the bottom or side of the bag as long as it passes through a distance of the self sealing area and the opening to allow entry and release of the contents.