Patent ID: 6979482
Filing Date: 2005-12-27
Classification: B32B,B65B,B65D,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A multiwall bottom-filled bag of tubular form comprising: an inner tube having at least one layer of polymeric material including an inner front wall region and an inner back wall region positioned to face opposite the inner front wall region; an outer tube having at least one layer of paper material and positioned to substantially surround outer surfaces of the inner tube, the outer tube having an open end region, a closed end region being initially in an open position, adapted to receive filling material therethrough, and then sealingly closed to a closed position, an outer front wall region positioned between the open end region and the closed end region, and an outer back wall region positioned between the open end region and the closed end region and positioned to face opposite the outer front wall region; a bag seal zone formed adjacent the open end of the outer tube so that the at least one layer of polymeric material of inner surfaces of the inner front wall region of the inner tube abuttingly contacts and seals to inner surfaces of the inner back wall region of the inner tube, the bag seal zone comprising a heat seal so that inner surfaces of the polymeric material of the inner front wall region are heatingly sealed to the inner surfaces of the polymeric material of the inner back wall region, the heat seal allowing the inner surfaces of the inner front wall and inner back wall regions to peelingly separate and unseal the inner surfaces of the inner front and back wall regions without substantial damage to the inner surfaces thereof when initially opening the bag and further remaining unsealed after initial opening even when the zipper block is in the closed position to thereby indicate that initial opening has occurred and indicate that tampering with the opening of the bag may have occurred; a fin member formed of a plastic material and connected to the bag seal zone and extending substantially the entire lateral extent of and along the outer front and back wall regions, the fin member including at least a pair of spaced-apart elongate fin strips positioned to face opposite each other; a zipper track connected to each of the pair of elongate fin strips of the fin member, the zipper track including a first track strip and a second track strip, the first and second track strips being adapted to be positioned between an open positioned defined by the first and second track strips being spaced apart to allow access to inner portions of the bag and a sealingly closed position defined by the first and second track strips abuttingly contacting each other to prevent ready access to the inner portions of the bag; and a zipper block slidably connected to the zipper track to allow the zipper block to slidably move along the zipper track and move the first and second track strips between the open position and the closed position, the fin member, the zipper track, and the zipper block defining a slider zipper and fin combination, so that when the bag is filled the heat seal enhances protection of at least portions of the slider zipper and fin combination by operating as a stop region for the filling material and thereby enhancing filling performance of the bag.