Draw tape bag

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10023361-B2
Application number	US-47172709-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 26, 2009
Priority date	May 26, 2009
Publication date	Jul 17, 2018
Grant date	Jul 17, 2018

Abstract

The bag may include a draw tape that may be used to cinch closed the opening of the bag. The draw tape has at least one stretched elastomeric strip attached to the draw tape in an extended condition. The draw tape may be smaller in size than the bag sidewalls. The draw tape may include an elastic characteristic, such as patterned ribs. In one embodiment, the roll of bag is kept under tension to maintain the elastomeric strips in a stretched condition.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A draw tape bag comprising:
a first sidewall;
a second sidewall, the second sidewall joined to the first sidewall by a closed bottom end, a first edge, and a second edge, thereby defining an opening of the draw tape bag at a top end;
the first and second sidewalls forming a hem having a top length and extending along the open top end disposed opposite the bottom end having a bottom length, the hem including one or more draw tape notches; and
a flat pliable thermoplastic draw tape in an extended state housed within the hem, the flat pliable thermoplastic draw tape having an elastic characteristic that allows the flat pliable thermoplastic draw tape to expand and contract along a length of the flat pliable thermoplastic draw tape when subjected to loads consistent with insertion of the draw tape bag into a receptacle;
wherein the flat pliable thermoplastic draw tape is attached to the first and second sidewalls at a side seal and wherein the flat pliable thermoplastic draw tape, when in a relaxed state, causes the hem to gather and the opening of the draw tape bag to partially constrict;
wherein the flat pliable thermoplastic draw tape is formed by stretching an initial pliable thermoplastic draw tape, and wherein the elastic characteristic of the flat pliable thermoplastic draw tape is greater than an elastic characteristic of the initial pliable thermoplastic draw tape.

2. The draw tape bag of claim 1 , wherein the flat pliable thermoplastic draw tape in an extended state is additionally pre-stretched.

3. The draw tape bag of claim 1 , wherein the flat pliable thermoplastic draw tape comprises linear low-density polyethylene.

4. The draw tape bag of claim 1 , further comprising:
a strip of elastic material having a fully relaxed length and a stretched expanded length, the elastic strip attached in the stretched expanded length condition to at least a first discrete region and a second discrete region of the extended flat pliable thermoplastic draw tape, and
wherein the flat pliable thermoplastic draw tape and the strip of elastic material are sealed to each other within the hem and the elastic strip contracts to cause the flat pliable thermoplastic draw tape to bunch together such that the side seal is drawn inwardly and the hem is gathered together when the stretched elastic material attached to the flat pliable thermoplastic draw tape is allowed to relax.

5. The draw tape bag of claim 4 , wherein the elastic strip is not attached to the hem.

6. The draw tape bag of claim 4 , wherein:
the strip of elastic material is not attached to the hem;
the strip of elastic material is not attached to the first sidewall; and
the strip of elastic material is not attached to the second sidewall.

7. The draw tape bag of claim 1 , further comprising: a stretched elastomeric strip having a first end and a second end wherein the first and second ends are connected to a first portion and a second portion respectively of an extended section of the flat pliable thermoplastic draw tape and the elastic strip contracts to cause the flat pliable thermoplastic draw tape and the hem to bunch together and to draw inwardly the at least one side seal when the elastomeric strip is in a relaxed condition.

8. The draw tape bag of claim 7 , wherein:
the strip of elastic material is not attached to the hem;
the strip of elastic material is not attached to the first sidewall; and
the strip of elastic material is not attached to the second sidewall.

9. The draw tape bag of claim 1 , further comprising a pattern in the flat pliable thermoplastic draw tape that modifies the elastic characteristic of the flat pliable thermoplastic draw tape.

10. The draw tape bag of claim 9 , wherein the pattern of allows the flat pliable thermoplastic draw tape to stretch in the lengthwise direction.

11. The draw tape bag of claim 1 , wherein the flat pliable thermoplastic draw tape retains or increases its tensile strength per unit thickness in the direction of stretch that provides the flat pliable thermoplastic draw tape with the elastic characteristic.

12. The draw tape bag of claim 1 , wherein the flat pliable thermoplastic draw tape comprises linear low-density polyethylene and low-density polyethylene.

13. A draw tape bag, comprising:
a pair of pliable thermoplastic body panels joined to each other along a pair of opposing sides and a bottom bridging the opposing sides, the body panels forming a hem extending along a mouth end disposed opposite the bottom, the hem including one or more draw tape notches; and
a flat pliable thermoplastic draw tape housed within the hem and being sealed together with the hem at least one side seal of the bag, the draw tape being partially exposed by the respective draw tape notches which allow the draw tape to be pulled therethrough to close the draw tape bag and to be used as a handle, the flat pliable thermoplastic draw tape having an elastic characteristic that allows the flat pliable thermoplastic draw tape to expand and contract along a length of the flat pliable thermoplastic draw tape when subjected to loads consistent with insertion of the draw tape bag into a receptacle, wherein the flat pliable thermoplastic draw tape is attached to the opposing sides of the thermoplastic body panels and wherein the flat pliable thermoplastic draw tape, when in a relaxed state, causes the hem to gather and an opening of the draw tape bag to partially constrict; wherein the flat pliable thermoplastic draw tape is formed by stretching an initial pliable thermoplastic draw tape, and wherein the elastic characteristic of the flat pliable thermoplastic draw tape is greater than an elastic characteristic of the initial pliable thermoplastic draw tape.

14. The draw tape bag of claim 13 , wherein the length of the flat pliable thermoplastic draw tape in an extended state is equal to a length of the hem.

15. The draw tape bag of claim 14 , wherein the flat pliable thermoplastic draw tape is sealed to the opposing sides of the thermoplastic body panels by a heat seal.

16. The draw tape bag of claim 13 , wherein the flat pliable thermoplastic draw tape comprises linear low-density polyethylene.

17. The draw tape bag of claim 13 , further comprising a pattern formed in the flat pliable thermoplastic draw tape that modifies the elastic characteristic of the flat pliable thermoplastic draw tape.

18. The draw tape bag of claim 17 , wherein the pattern of allows the flat pliable thermoplastic draw tape to stretch in the lengthwise direction.

19. The draw tape bag of claim 13 , wherein the flat pliable thermoplastic draw tape retains or increases its tensile strength per unit thickness in the direction of stretch that provides the flat pliable thermoplastic draw tape with the elastic characteristic.

20. The draw tape bag of claim 13 , wherein the flat pliable thermoplastic draw tape comprises linear low-density polyethylene and low-density polyethylene.

Assignees

• Kent Gregory Stuart
• Broering Shaun T
• Glad Products Co

Inventors

• Kent Gregory Stuart
• Broering Shaun T

Classifications

• B31B2155/00

  Flexible containers made from webs · CPC title

• B31B2155/0014

  having their openings facing transversally to the direction of movement · CPC title

• B65D33/28 Primary

  Strings or strip-like closures {, i.e. draw closures} · CPC title

• B31B70/8137

  the ends of the strings being attached to the side edges of the bags · CPC title

• B31B70/18

  longitudinally · CPC title