Polymeric films and bags

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10293980-B2
Application number	US-201715397863-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 4, 2017
Priority date	Mar 12, 2015
Publication date	May 21, 2019
Grant date	May 21, 2019

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a method of incrementally stretching polymeric film formed from a blown film extrusion process. The present invention is further directed to a polymeric bag formed from an incrementally stretched polymeric film. The incremental stretching is performed on a collapsed polymeric bubble via a pair of intermeshing rollers. The incrementally stretched polymeric film may be stretched only along a portion of its width. The polymeric bag may be a drawstring trash bag with an extended hem where only the extended hem of the bag or the body of the bag comprises incrementally stretched polymeric film.

First claim

I claim:

1. A bag formed from polymeric film of a collapsed bubble, the bag comprising:
a front panel and a back panel, the front panel and back panel generally joined along a first side edge, a second side edge, and a bottom edge of the respective front panel and back panel,
the front panel having an upper distal edge opposite the bottom edge, the distal edge resulting from a folded over portion of the front panel providing a first hem and a first overlap area immediately below the first hem, a top of the first hem defining an upper opening of the bag,
the first overlap area comprising at least two layers of polymeric film below the first hem, a first lower seal sealing together the at least two layers of polymeric film, and
the first hem and the first overlap area comprising incrementally stretched polymeric film.

2. The bag of claim 1 further comprising:
the polymeric film below the first lower seal comprising un-stretched polymeric film.

3. The bag of claim 2 further comprising:
the polymeric film below the first lower seal devoid of incrementally stretched polymeric film.

4. The bag of claim 1 further comprising:
a first hem seal sealing the folded over portion to the front panel at a bottom of the first hem, and
the first hem encapsulating a drawstring.

5. The bag of claim 4 further comprising:
the first overlap area failing to include a drawstring.

6. The bag of claim 1 further comprising:
the incrementally stretched polymeric film comprising a fraction of an incrementally stretched partial width of the collapsed bubble.

7. The bag of claim 6 further comprising:
the incrementally stretched partial width having a width less than half of the collapsed bubble.

8. A bag formed from polymeric film of a collapsed bubble, the bag comprising:
a front panel and a back panel, the front panel and back panel generally joined along a first side edge, a second side edge, and a bottom edge of the respective front panel and back panel,
the front panel having a distal edge opposite the bottom edge, the distal edge of the front panel resulting from a folded over portion of the front panel providing a first hem and a first overlap area immediately below the first hem, a top of the first hem defining an upper opening of the bag,
the first overlap area comprising at least two layers of polymeric film sealed together by a first lower seal below the first hem,
the first hem and the first overlap area comprising incrementally stretched polymeric film, and
the front panel below the first overlap area comprising un-stretched polymeric film.

9. The bag of claim 8 further comprising:
the bottom edge of the bag corresponding to an outer edge of the collapsed bubble.

10. The bag of claim 8 further comprising:
the polymeric film below the first lower seal comprising un-stretched polymeric film.

11. The bag of claim 8 further comprising:
the incrementally stretched polymeric film comprising an incrementally stretched partial width of the collapsed bubble.

12. The bag of claim 8 further comprising:
the first hem of the polymeric bag including a drawstring.

13. The bag of claim 8 further comprising:
the first overlap area failing to include a drawstring.

14. A bag formed from polymeric film of a collapsed bubble, the bag comprising:
a front panel and a back panel, the front panel and back panel generally joined along a first side edge, a second side edge, and a bottom edge of the respective front panel and back panel,
the front panel having a distal edge opposite the bottom edge, the distal edge of the front panel resulting from a folded over portion of the front panel providing a first hem and a first overlap area immediately below the first hem, a top of the first hem defining an upper opening of the bag,
the first overlap area comprising at least two layers of film below the first hem sealed together by a first lower seal,
a first bag body of the first panel defined between the first lower seal and the first bottom edge,
the first bag body comprising an incrementally stretched polymeric film, and
the front panel above the first lower seal comprising un-stretched polymeric film.

15. The bag of claim 14 further comprising:
a first hem seal sealing the folded over portion to the front panel at a bottom of the first hem, and
the polymeric film above the hem seal comprising un-stretched polymeric film.

16. The bag of claim 14 further comprising:
the incrementally stretched polymeric film incrementally stretched synchronously with formation of the collapsed bubble.

17. The bag of claim 14 further comprising:
the first hem of the bag including a drawstring.

18. The bag of claim 14 further comprising:
the first overlap area failing to include a drawstring.

19. The bag of claim 14 further comprising:
the incrementally stretched polymeric film comprising a fraction of an incrementally stretched partial width of the collapsed bubble.

20. The bag of claim 19 further comprising:
the incrementally stretched partial width having a width less than half of the collapsed bubble.

Assignees

• Poly America Lp

Inventors

• Cobler Brad A

Classifications

• B31B70/008

  Stiffening or reinforcing (B31B70/876 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B31B70/81

  Forming or attaching accessories, e.g. opening devices, closures or tear strings · CPC title

• B31D1/00

  Multiple-step processes for making flat articles {; Making flat articles} · CPC title

• B65F1/00

  Refuse receptacles; {Accessories therefor}(containers not specially adapted for refuse, features of refuse receptacles of general interest B65D) · CPC title

• B65F2250/1143

  Polyethylene · CPC title