Stand-up plastic storage bag having shift regions and a cuff line

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9776781-B2
Application number	US-201715442841-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 27, 2017
Priority date	Mar 11, 2014
Publication date	Oct 3, 2017
Grant date	Oct 3, 2017

Abstract

A storage bag includes first and second sidewalls each having a top edge, a top portion, and a bottom portion. The bottom portion of the first sidewall includes at least one shift region about which the bag is capable of shifting. The shift region includes a score line, an indentation, or a crimp formed into the first sidewall. The top portions of the sidewalls include a cuff line about which the bag is capable of shifting. The bag shifts between (i) a flat configuration with the sidewalls positioned adjacent to each other, and (ii) a stand-up configuration with the sidewalls separated from each other. In the stand-up configuration, the bag has a substantially flat base. The bag also can be shifted to a cuffed position with the bag being folded over the cuff line of each of the sidewalls such that the cuff region forms an opening to the bag.

First claim

We claim:

1. A storage bag comprising:
(A) a first sidewall having a top edge, a top portion, and a bottom portion, and including:
(a) at least one shift region about which the bag is capable of shifting, the at least one shift region being provided in the bottom portion of the first sidewall, and the at least one shift region comprising one of (i) a score line, (ii) an indentation, and (iii) a crimp formed into the first sidewall, and
(b) a cuff line provided in the top portion of the first sidewall, the cuff line comprising at least one shift region about which the bag is capable of shifting;

(B) a second sidewall connected to the first sidewall along three sides of the bag to form an interior of the bag with an opening thereto, the second sidewall having a top edge, a top portion, and a bottom portion, and the second sidewall including a cuff line provided in the top portion of the second sidewall, the cuff line comprising at least one shift region about which the bag is capable of shifting; and
(C) a cuff region disposed below the top edge of the first sidewall and the top edge of the second sidewall, the cuff region extending from a point below each of the top edges of the first and second sidewalls to the cuff line of each of the first and second sidewalls,
wherein the bag shifts:
(a) between (i) a flat configuration with the first and second sidewalls positioned adjacent to each other, and (ii) a stand-up configuration with the first and second sidewalls separated from each other, such that, in the stand-up configuration, the bag has a substantially flat base, and
(b) about the cuff line of each of the first and second sidewalls such that the bag can be shifted to a cuffed position with the bag being folded over the cuff line of each of the first and second sidewalls such that the cuff region forms the opening to the bag.

2. A storage bag according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one shift region of the cuff line of the first sidewall comprises one of (i) a score line, (ii) an indentation, and (iii) a crimp formed into the first sidewall.

3. A storage bag according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one shift region of the cuff line of the second sidewall comprises one of (i) a score line, (ii) an indentation, and (iii) a crimp formed into the second sidewall.

4. A storage bag according to claim 1 , wherein the first sidewall further includes a first interlocking closure structure and the second sidewall further includes a second interlocking closure structure, the first interlocking closure structure being configured to interlock with the second interlocking closure structure to seal the opening of the bag.

5. A storage bag according to claim 4 , wherein, on the first sidewall, the cuff line is disposed below the first interlocking closure structure, and wherein, on the second sidewall, the cuff line is disposed below the second interlocking closure structure.

6. A storage bag according to claim 4 , wherein, on the first sidewall, the cuff region extends from the first interlocking closure structure of the first sidewall to the cuff line of the first sidewall, and wherein, on the second sidewall, the cuff region extends from the second interlocking closure structure of the second sidewall to the cuff line of the second sidewall.

7. A storage bag according to claim 4 , wherein the first sidewall further includes a third interlocking closure structure disposed below the first interlocking closure structure, and the second sidewall further includes a fourth interlocking closure structure disposed below the second interlocking closure structure, the third interlocking closure structure being configured to interlock with the fourth interlocking closure structure to seal the opening of the bag.

8. A storage bag according to claim 7 , wherein, on the first sidewall, the cuff region extends from the third interlocking closure structure of the first sidewall to the cuff line of the first sidewall, and wherein, on the second sidewall, the cuff region extends from the fourth interlocking closure structure of the second sidewall to the cuff line of the second sidewall.

9. A storage bag according to claim 1 , wherein the cuff line of each of the first and second sidewalls comprises a straight line that extends from a first edge to a second edge of the respective sidewall.

10. A storage bag according to claim 1 , wherein the cuff line of each of the first and second sidewalls comprises a dashed line that extends from a first edge to a second edge of the respective sidewall.

11. A storage bag according to claim 1 , wherein the cuff line of each of the first and second sidewalls comprises a curved line that extends from a first edge to a second edge of the respective sidewall.

12. A storage bag according to claim 1 , wherein the cuff region comprises a patterned band to provide a visual cue to a user as to where to fold and to cuff the bag.

13. A storage bag according to claim 12 , wherein the patterned band comprises at least one of (i) a printed pattern and (ii) a texture.

14. A storage bag according to claim 12 , wherein the patterned band is formed by embossing.

15. A storage bag according to claim 12 , wherein the bottom portion of at least one of the first sidewall and the second sidewall comprises a patterned area.

16. A storage bag according to claim 15 , wherein at least one of the patterned band and the patterned area is formed by embossing.

17. A storage bag according to claim 15 , wherein the patterned band comprises a pattern that is the same as the pattern of the patterned area.

18. A storage bag according to claim 15 , wherein the patterned band comprises a pattern that is different from the pattern of the patterned area.

19. A storage bag according to claim 1 , wherein each of the first sidewall and the second sidewall comprises a patterned area that extends from a point below each of the top edges of the first and second sidewalls to at least the bottom portion of each of the first and second sidewalls, and
wherein the patterned area of each of the first and second sidewalls is included for at least one of (i) disguising the cuff line of each of the respective first and second sidewalls, (ii) disguising the at least one shift region of the first sidewall, (iii) adding stiffness to each of the first and second sidewalls, and (iv) providing a visual cue to a user as to where to fold and to cuff the bag.

20. A storage bag according to claim 19 , wherein the patterned area is formed by embossing.

21. A storage bag according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one shift region of the first sidewall includes (i) shift regions that extend from near a first corner of the first sidewall and (ii) shift regions that extend from near a second corner of the first sidewall, and
wherein, in the stand-up configuration, the bag is shifted about each of the shift regions of the first sidewall such that the substantially flat base is formed for the bag.

22. A storage bag according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one shift region of the first sidewall includes (i) a first shift region that extends from near a first corner of the first sidewall, (ii) a second shift region that extends from near the first corner of the first sidewall, (iii) a third shift region that extends from near a second corner of the first sidewall, and (iv) a fourth shift region that extends from near the second corner of the first sidewall, and
wherein, in the stand-up configuration, the bag is shifted about the f

Assignees

• Johnson & Son Inc S C
• Johnson & Son Inc S C

Inventors

• Porchia Jose
• Burggren Keegan E
• Dais Brian C

Classifications

• B65D31/08

  with block bottoms · CPC title

• B65D33/02

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

• B65D33/004

  Information or decoration elements, e.g. level indicators, detachable tabs or coupons · CPC title

• B65D33/2566

  using two or more independently operable slide fasteners · CPC title

• B65D75/002 Primary

  in shrink films (B65D71/08 takes precedence) · CPC title