Abstract: A flexible inflatable container is closed at one end and open at its other end. A closure strap is secured to the bag adjacent the open end and is arranged to be wrapped around and close this open end after inflating the bag. This closure strap is associated with another strip of material secured to the bag for forming a handle at this end of the bag. The other end of the bag has a base strip secured peripherally around the bag and has flexible strips secured thereto to form handles at this end of the bag. The bag is sufficiently elongated from end to end so as to carry a person lying crosswise thereon for riding a wave in the surf.

Abstract: A flexible container for transporting and storing bulk goods, preferably arranged so as to be liftable by its upper end, is constructed from a tubular blank so as to include a shell, a bottom and a filling aperture, pleats being formed in the shell and having lower parts which are folded so as to be coplanar with the container bottom. The free, lower margin of the tubular container blank is closed by a bottom seam located substantially in the central region of the container bottom and the upper plane of each pleat is folded into the plane of the container bottom and affixed to the lower plane of the respective pleat by a connecting seam. On each side of the bottom seam, there is at least one supporting seam substantially parallel to the bottom seam. The distance of each supporting seam is advantageously in the range of about 1/3 to 1/4 of the half-length of the connecting seam.

Abstract: A disposable bag for returning refund bottles to a store is provided that consists of a body of thin flexible sheet material being wide and long enough to accommodate refund bottles of a two liter size which will fit into the proper size container for support and have a counting device built within the container to tally the amount of bottles deposited within.

Abstract: A carryall handbag and mat formed of a single blank of foldable sheet material, one end being reversely folded onto an intermediate portion of the blank to define a reversely folded portion and an extended portion. A plurality of seams secures the reversely folded portion to define a pocket. In one form of the invention, an endless handle is connected to one edge of the folded blank, over which the blank, when folded, can be draped to define a handbag, and which blank can be readily unfolded to define a mat. In another form, the blank is folded so that the defined pocket can be turned inside out with the extended portion being disposed folded within the pocket.

Abstract: A carrier for beverage containers and more particularly a carrier in the form of a flexible bag which can be collapsed from an extended position during use to a more compact condition for storage and transport with the bag adapted to receive a plurality of vertically disposed rows of empty beverage cans to facilitate such beverage cans being returned to their point of purchase in order to obtain a refund of a deposit paid when the beverages were purchased. The bag is generally rectangular in configuration and provided with carrying handles on opposite sides thereof with the peripheral wall of the bag being transparent to enable observation of the cans disposed therein with the interior of the bag being divided into a plurality of vertical compartments by a plurality of pivotally connected dividers with the bottom of the bag including a rigid insert to provide a flat bottom to provide a stable unit when in extended condition.

Abstract: A liquid drainage system comprising, a receptacle having a chamber to receive the liquid, and a drainage tube communicating with the chamber. The system has a formed sheet of flexible material, with the sheet being of one-piece construction. The sheet has an elongated bar received in an upper portion of the receptacle, a first connecting portion extending from one side of the bar at a generally central location thereof, a first hinge extending across the sheet at an outer end of the first connecting portion, and a second elongated connecting portion extending from the first hinge on a side of the first hinge opposite the first connecting portion. The second connecting portion is flexed about the first hinge to align the first and second connecting portions in a facing relationship. The sheet has second and third hinges extending along opposed sides of the second connecting portion, and first and second hook members connected to the second and third hinges.

Abstract: A stackable flexible bulk container includes a bag portion of woven polypropylene and is comprised of a bottom wall, a top wall and an encircling side wall. At least two lifting strap loops are provided so that the container can be lifted by the tongs of a forklift truck. To enable the tongs to enter the loops without manual assistance, relatively rigid devices are associated with the ends of the loops to hold them upright and opened. The loops are also held outwardly away from the center of the bag so that similar containers can be stacked without interfering with the loops of the container below.

Abstract: A shopping bag handle is either integral with opposing panels of a grocery bag or is formed in separate inserts attachable to grocery bag panels. The panels have central end regions which have parallel integral reinforced strips extending along the length of the panels and which may be formed by glued pleats in the panels. A U-shaped flap is cut between the reinforced lateral strips. The flap is wrapped and glued around a transverse web at the end of the panel and which is defined by the U-shaped flap. The transverse web is further reinforced by doubling the web thickness and folding its corners inwardly before wrapping the flap around the web. The reinforced web serves as the handle. The base of the handle opening formed by the flap may be formed of a panel which is folded downwardly to cover the cut edge of the transverse portion of the slit forming the flap.

Abstract: In the construction of a collapsible receptacle there is provided a length of fabric material and a length of webbing material formed from the same material as the length of fabric material. A plurality of lift loops formed from length of webbing material are positioned at spaced points along the length of fabric material with the lower ends of the lift loops located more than a predetermined distance above the lower edge of the material. After the lift loops are secured to the length of fabric material, the assembly is secured around the upper end of a collapsible receptacle body panel with the lift loops projecting above the upper edge of the panel. A line of stitching is used to at least partially secure the assembly to the body panel, with the line of stitching positioned at least the predetermined distance below the lowermost end of the lift loops.

Abstract: A pair of handles for a shopping bag, each handle having a base and a bail molded of one-piece plastic construction, are disclosed. The opposite ends of the bail are integrally connected to the base in a manner so as to impart an aesthetically pleasing, generally flat appearance to the bag in the regions overlying the bail ends. The bail has a twisted hand grip portion having a smooth lower surface free of sharp edges to facilitate carrying the bag.

Abstract: A valved bag including elongate facing outer walls peripherally secured together except for an unsecured end region, an inner wall between the outer walls extending across the unsecured region and secured to one outer wall partially across the unsecured region to leave an access passageway, extensions on the inner and other outer wall extending across the unsecured region and secured together to close the unsecured region, and a sealing flap exteriorly of the inner wall extension and the adjacent region of the secured outer wall and secured thereto for removable sealing engagement with the later by internal pressure of the bag.

Abstract: A self-sealing valved bag including elongate facing outer walls periphally secured together except for an unsecured end region, an inner wall between the outer walls extending across the unsecured end region, the inner wall being secured to one outer wall partially across the unsecured end region to leave an access passageway between the inner and said one outer wall, the inner wall being secured to the other outer wall entirely across the unsecured end region to close the latter between the inner and said other outer wall, and a pocket exteriorly on an outer wall opening toward an end thereof and terminating in a closure medially of the outer walls.