Flat-bottom gusseted bag made from multi-layer sheet

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11225360-B2
Application number	US-201815947419-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 6, 2018
Priority date	Dec 20, 2012
Publication date	Jan 18, 2022
Grant date	Jan 18, 2022

Abstract

A flat-bottomed bag is formed from a flexible sheet that initially is flat prior to being manipulated to form the bag. The sheet is a laminate of a first web and a second web laminated together by an adhesive layer disposed between the webs. The sheet defines a plurality of serially connected side wall panels collectively defining a vertically extending side wall of the bag, and a plurality of bottom panels respectively connected to the side wall panels at respective fold lines. The bottom panels are folded about the fold lines and are attached together to form a flat bottom wall configured to support the bag in an upright orientation. The adhesive layer is in a partial-coverage pattern that includes adhesive-free regions located along each fold line between each bottom panel and the respective side wall panel connected therewith.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A flat-bottomed bag, comprising:
a blank comprising a flexible sheet, the sheet comprising a laminate of a first web and at least a second web, a face of the first web being affixed to an opposing face of the second web by an adhesive layer disposed between the first and second webs, the blank defining:
a front panel;
a left side panel joined to a left side edge of the front panel;
a right side panel joined to a right side edge of the front panel;
either a single rear panel joined to one of the left or right side panels, or a pair of partial rear panels respectively joined to each of the left and right side panels;
a plurality of bottom panels respectively joined to lower edges of the front, left side, right side, and rear panels; and
fold lines respectively formed at each juncture between said panels;

the blank forming a bag with each joined pair of panels disposed generally perpendicular to each other, a leftmost edge of the blank being attached to a rightmost edge of the blank along a longitudinal seam therebetween, the bottom panels being attached together to form a bottom wall of the bag;
wherein the adhesive layer comprises at least one adhesive region and a plurality of adhesive-free fold line regions, wherein each adhesive-free fold line region:
extends substantially along the length of a fold line, between a bottom panel and the single respective front, left side, right side, or rear panel joined therewith, without covering a juncture between any of the following panels:
the front panel,
the left side panel,
the right side panel, and
the rear panel, and

extends at least partially above and below each fold line.

2. The flat-bottomed bag of claim 1 , wherein an adhesive region is located between each of the adhesive-free fold line regions.

3. The flat-bottomed bag of claim 1 , wherein the at least one adhesive region and the adhesive-free fold line regions are pattern applied.

4. The flat-bottomed bag of claim 1 , wherein the bag is configured to be folded into a collapsed generally flat state when empty, and then to be erected into an opened state for filling with product and sealing.

5. The flat-bottomed bag of claim 1 , further comprising a closure feature formed in the side wall of the bag.

6. The flat-bottomed bag of claim 5 , wherein the closure feature comprises a flap formed in the side wall by a generally U-shaped score line that extends through the thickness of the first web, which forms an outer surface of the bag, but does not extend through the second web, which forms an inner surface of the bag, such that the flap can be peeled away from the second web without breaching the bag.

7. The flat-bottomed bag of claim 6 , additionally comprising a pressure-sensitive adhesive between the first and second webs in the area of the flap, such that the flap, when peeled away from the second web, retains the pressure-sensitive adhesive on the flap, whereby the flap can be re-adhered to a rolled-down top end of the bag to hold the top end in the rolled-down configuration so as to reclose the bag after initial opening.

8. The flat-bottomed bag of claim 7 , wherein:
the flap additionally comprises a graspable tab portion;
the adhesive layer additionally comprises an adhesive-free tab region disposed adjacent the pressure-sensitive adhesive; and
the tab portion is located within the adhesive-free tab region.

9. The flat-bottomed bag of claim 6 , wherein the at least one adhesive region substantially covers the surface area of the front, rear, and side panels other than in the location of the flap and adhesive-free fold line regions, between the first and second webs.

10. The flat-bottomed bag of claim 1 , wherein the bag has a lower stiffness in the adhesive-free fold line regions than in the at least one adhesive region.

11. The flat-bottomed bag of claim 1 , wherein the adhesive-free fold line regions are generally centered about the respective fold line.

12. A blank for forming a flat-bottomed bag, comprising:
a flexible sheet, the sheet comprising a laminate of a first web and at least a second web, a face of the first web being affixed to an opposing face of the second web by an adhesive layer disposed between the first and second webs, the sheet defining:
a plurality of serially connected side wall panels collectively defining a vertically extending side wall of the bag; and
a plurality of bottom panels respectively connected to the side wall panels, each bottom panel being connected to a respective one of the side wall panels at a fold line;

wherein the adhesive layer comprises at least one adhesive region and a plurality of adhesive-free fold line regions, wherein each adhesive-free fold line region:
extends substantially along the length of a fold line, between a bottom panel and the single respective front, left side, right side, or rear panel joined therewith, and
extends at least partially above and below each fold line; and

wherein the at least one adhesive region is disposed on at least one juncture between any of the following panels:
the front panel,
the left side panel,
the right side panel, and
the rear panel.

13. The blank of claim 12 , wherein an adhesive region is located between each of the adhesive-free fold line regions.

14. The blank of claim 12 , further comprising a flap formed in a side wall of the blank by a generally U-shaped score line that extends through the thickness of the first web, but does not extend through the second web, such that the flap can be peeled away from the second web.

15. The blank of claim 14 , additionally comprising a pressure-sensitive adhesive between the first and second webs in the area of the flap.

16. The blank of claim 14 , wherein the at least one adhesive region substantially covers the surface area of the front, rear, and side panels other than in the location of the flap and adhesive-free fold line regions, between the first and second webs.

17. The flat-bottomed bag of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of adhesive-free line regions is not disposed on the juncture between each of the following panels:
the front panel,
the left side panel,
the right side panel, and
the rear panel.

18. The blank of claim 12 , wherein the at least one adhesive region is disposed on the juncture between each of the following panels:
the front panel,
the left side panel,
the right side panel, and
the rear panel.

19. The blank of claim 18 , wherein the at least one adhesive region is disposed over the entirety of each juncture between each of the following panels:
the front panel,
the left side panel,
the right side panel, and
the rear panel.

20. A blank for forming a flat-bottomed bag, comprising:
a flexible sheet, the sheet comprising a laminate of a first web and at least a second web, a face of the first web being affixed to an opposing face of the second web by an adhesive layer disposed between the first and second webs, the sheet defining:
a plurality of serially connected side wall panels collectively defining a vertically extending side wall of the bag; and
a plurality of bottom panels respectively connected to the side wall panels, each bottom panel being connected to a respective one of the side wall panels at a fold line;

wherein the adhesive layer comprises at least one adhesive region and a plurality of adhesive-free fold line regions, wherein each adhesive-free fold line region:
extends along at least part of the length of a fold line, between a bottom pane

Assignees

• Sonoco Dev Inc

Inventors

• Trollen Jonathan Edward

Classifications

• B65D65/40

  Applications of laminates for particular packaging purposes {(B65D1/0215, B65D1/28, B65D3/22, B65D5/0281, B65D5/563, B65D9/30, B65D29/02, B65D31/02, B65D75/26, B65D77/2024, B65D81/1275, B65D81/3811, B65D81/3823, B65D81/3834, B65D81/3846, B65D81/3858, B65D81/3874, B65D81/3886, B65D81/3897 take precedence; laminates per se or laminated packages characterised by the composition or)} · CPC title

• B65D75/5838

  combined with separate fixed tearing means, e.g. tabs · CPC title

• B65D33/02 Primary

  Local reinforcements or stiffening inserts, e.g. wires, strings, strips or frames {(B65D33/007 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B65D31/10

  with gusseted sides · CPC title

• B65D31/08

  with block bottoms · CPC title