Abstract:
A multiple compartment bag having various detachable pouches. The disposable container has a first panel and a second panel. A plurality of sealing seams extend throughout the disposable container and define various detachable pouches. At least one of the pouches is surrounded about each side by other pouches. Each of the multiple detachable pouches includes a top, a bottom, two sides and an opening proximate the top of the detachable pouch to provide an entry for an item to be stored within the detachable pouch.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Field 
         [0002]    The invention relates to the field of disposable container products, and in particular to providing a convenient compartmented package having multiple detachable pouches capable of storing various items. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    Resealable zipper bags made a notable impact on the home consumer market in the 1980&#39;s. The resealable zipper bag is small, and convenient for storing and carrying various items. Do to the pliable material properties of a flexible plastic sipper bag, at times it is much more convenient to store items in a plastic bag rather than in a bulky container or box since pliable plastic bags can fit in spaces where you would not be able to put a box, such as when storing food items or leftovers in the refrigerator where space is substantially limited. 
         [0005]    Resealable bags are convenient for organizing and categorizing small items, such as screws/nails, school supplies, toys, art supplies, jewelry, and just about anything that will fit inside a plastic bag. The kitchen is one area where pliable plastic bags are commonly used more frequently. Many people use them for storing various items in the refrigerator/freezer such as liquids, sauces, gravies, fruits and vegetables, and/or anything that is likely to leak out of the container or fall loose in the refrigerator. 
         [0006]    Resealable zipper bags have many uses. They are particularly useful for packing a child&#39;s school lunch. The ability to zip them up, or reseal these bags is conducive to quickly resealing the bag so that items will stay fresh from external bacteria and contamination. 
         [0007]    Frequently, in a school lunch, a parent or caregiver will oftentimes pack various small snacks like peanuts, fruits, sandwiches or cookies in a plurality of different resealable bags. Each of the snack bags are then placed in a larger lunch bag or lunch container. The disadvantage is that a number of plastic bags of various sizes have to be purchased and stored at home to account for the various sizes and shapes necessary for storage. There is currently no system currently on the market that is capable of organizing a variety of different items together in a single package in which each of the various pouches formed therein can be individually detached. On the contrary, a child at school has to fumble through various plastic bags during their lunch period in an attempt to open the resealable zipper on the plastic bag which in itself can prove to be quite challenging for a young child. Thus, there is a need for a quick and easy solution for a compartmented package having multiple detachable pouches. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0008]    An object of the present invention is to provide a compartmented package having multiple detachable pouches. The compartmented package is constructed to include various detachable storage compartments into which a variety of different items may be stored. 
         [0009]    The disposable container has a first panel and a second panel. A plurality of sealing seams extend throughout the disposable container define various detachable pouches. At least one of the pouches is surrounded about each side by other pouches. Each of the multiple detachable pouches includes a top, a bottom, two sides and an opening proximate the top of the detachable pouch to provide an entry for an item to be stored within the detachable pouch. 
         [0010]    In another embodiment, at least two of the pouches are positioned such that their openings are disposed orthogonal to each other. 
         [0011]    This and other objects, features, and/or advantages may accrue from various aspects of embodiments as described in more detail below. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    Various exemplary embodiments of this invention will be described in detail, wherein like reference numerals refer to identical or similar components or steps, with reference to the following figures, wherein: 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary compartmented package having multiple detachable pouches. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  depicts the compartmented package having multiple detachable pouches of various sizes and shapes. 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  shows a compartmented package arranged for a meal having multiple detachable pouches. 
           [0016]      FIGS. 4-5  illustrate the compartmented package being capable of folded into a convenient compact carrying package. 
           [0017]      FIGS. 6-7  depict another exemplary compact arrangement for the compartmented package. 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  illustrates an exemplary process for making the compartment bag system. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
       [0019]    Particular embodiments of the present invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the figures. 
         [0020]      FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary multiple compartment bag or container system  10  including a plurality of detachable sub-pouches  16  configured in a variety of different sizes and shapes. The compartment bag system  10  comprises a first panel  12  and a second panel  14  that forms the front and back faces of the compartment bag system  10 . A plurality of seams  15  are disposed throughout the compartment bag system  10  and define the plurality of detachable pouches  16  of varying size and shape. 
         [0021]    The seams  15  of the various detachable pouches  16  may be formed in a variety of different ways, including, but not limited to, gluing, fusing, welding and/or any other suitable method for adhering the first panel  12  and the second panel  14  to each other. 
         [0022]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , the compartment bag system  10  includes a pair of longitudinal seams  15   a  and  15   b  disposed along the outermost side edges of the compartment bag system  10 . The longitudinal seams  15   a  and  15   b  define an outer enclosure for the compartment bag system  10 . Various other smaller sub longitudinal seams  15   c - 15   j  are constructed between the outer longitudinal seams  15   a  and  15   b  that further define the inner-outer edges of the various pouches  16 . 
         [0023]    The compartment bag system  10  includes a pair of outer transverse seams  15   n  and  15   m  that create the outermost upper and lower edges of the compartment bag system  10 . Together, the outer longitudinal seams  15   a,    15   b  and the outer transverse seams  15   m  and  15   n  define the outer edges of the enclosure for the compartment bag system  10 . Various other sub transverse seams  15   o - 15   s  are constructed between the outer transverse seams  15   m  and  15   n  that further define the inner outer edges of the various pouches  16 . 
         [0024]    Although the various edges above are described as longitudinal and transverse edges defining upper and lower edges, it is to be understood that these definitions are not intended to fix the orientation of the compartment bag system  10  in any particular configuration but are merely selected for clarity and exemplary demonstrative purposes. It is to be understood that various shapes and configurations are possible and the outer edges may take any shape including but not limited to curvilinear shapes as well. 
         [0025]    Another feature of this concept is to provide various angular seams  15   t - 15   v  for triangular, curvilinear and/or other obtuse shaped pouches. For example,  FIG. 1  depicts a plurality of pouches  16   a  and  16   f  having angular seams  15   t - 15   v  that defines triangular shaped detachable pouches. Curvilinear and/or any other shaped seam (such as shown n  FIG. 2 ) is also within the scope of this concept. 
         [0026]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , at least two pouches  16   g  and  16   h  are constructed so that there openings  17   a,    17   b  are positioned orthogonal to each other. Other pouches show the openings for the various pouches to be disposed in a variety of different positions relative to each other. Likewise, it is shown that the pouch opening  17   b  of the pouch  16   h  is centrally disposed to the interior of the compartment bag system  10 . Various other pouches completely surround the pouch  17   b  so that pouch  17   b  does not border an edge of the compartment bag system  10  but is completely surrounded by other pouches  16 . 
         [0027]    Perforations  20  may be disposed within any of the internal seams  15   c - 15   v . The various pouches  16  may be individually separated at any one of the various perforations  20  within the internal seams  15   c - 15   v  to remove any one of the various pouches  16  from the compartment bag system  10 . 
         [0028]    Likewise, perforations  20  may be placed adjacent to any of the seams  15   a - 15   v.  That is, the perforation  20  may be disposed on a side of one of the pouches that is intended to have that particular side opened and/or to separate the pouch from the remainder of the compartment bag system  10 . For example,  FIG. 1  shows a perforation  20   a  disposed along the right edge of the pouch  16   a . In use, the pouch  16   a  may be completely separated from the compartment bag system  10  along perforation lines  20   b  and  20   c.  Once detached, the perforation  20   a  may be torn away so that the items stored in the pouch  16   a  may be accessed through the perforated opening  20   a.    
         [0029]    Various ones of the pouches  16  may be constructed as re-sealable packages that will allow a user to reseal the pouch  16  for continuous use. This is useful in that oftentimes it is advantages to be able to reseal the pouch  16  in order to maintain product freshness of an item disposed within the pouch  16 . For example, when a disposable product with a short shelf-life, such as cheese, fruits, pasta and the like is exposed to bacteria, the shelf-life of that particular product deteriorates rapidly. The ability to reseal these types of contents back into the bacteria free environment within the interior of a sealed pouch  16  would be critical to ensuring its freshness. 
         [0030]    The resealable pouch may integrate any number of different closure and resealable closing mechanisms  24 . The re-sealable closing mechanisms  24  may be, for example, an adhesive, a zipper storage and/or any other resealable mechanism in accordance with this subject disclosure. The pouches  16  can be constructed of various materials, and in different sizes for use with various different products, such as for sandwiches, snacks, and/or for various purposes. Various other purposes may be for compartmentalizing makeup, beads, jewelry and/or various other items. 
         [0031]    The re-sealable pouch  16  may utilize resealable closing mechanism  24  that are sliders in which the closure mechanism is a press-and-seal locking mechanism that operates by bringing together a first lip portion of the locking mechanism with a second lip portion of the locking mechanism and causing the lips on both faces of the pouch to interlock and seal the opening of the pouch. Sliderless zippers may also be used in which the re-sealable mechanism is also closed using a press-and-seal technique to squeezes the lips on both faces of the pouch together to cause them to interlock and seal along the length of the opening. 
         [0032]    Likewise, as shown in  FIG. 1 , a conventionally known zipper  22  (such as a Ziploc® closing mechanism) may be disposed on a single pouch  16 . In this embodiment, the zipper  22  includes a first portion and a second portion that sealed by the zipper  22 . 
         [0033]    It is to be understood that various types of closing mechanisms  24  may be used according to the subject disclosure. That is the closing mechanism  24  may be a non-resealable closing mechanisms intended for a single use opening application. 
         [0034]    The compartment bag system  10  may be constructed as a flexible bag made from one or many different commonly known materials. The compartment bag system  10  may be made of thin, flexible, plastic film, or plastic textile, such as but not limited to a variety of plastics films, Polyethylene (LDPE, LLDPE, etc.) and the like. The compartment bag system  10  may be used for storing, containing and transporting various items, such as foods, produce, powders, jewelry, makeup, medicine, ice, waste, or the like. 
         [0035]    The pouches  16  may be constructed of a durable material able to withstand moderate to extreme heat (such for use in a microwave over and boiling in hot water) as well as moderate to extreme cold temperatures (such as storage of various items in a freezer). The various pouches  16  may be adapted for storing ice packs to keep certain items cold. In the alternative, the pouches  16  may be used to contain heat packs to keep various other items warm and well heated as necessary. 
         [0036]    Each of the pouches  16  may contain additional perforations or vent holes to allow air and other liquids of gases to enter into the interior of the pouch. For example, a pouch  16  may be adapted for use to cook rice therein. As such, hot water is allowed to flow through the perforations in the pouch  16  and to come into contact with the food: rice noodles, pasta, and/or other types of items disposed inside of the bag. The bags may be tough heat-sealed nylon or polyester to withstand the extreme temperatures of boiling water. Alternatively, the various pouches  16  may also be used for liquids such as juices and/or other aqueous items. 
         [0037]      FIG. 2  depicts a plurality of pouches  16  configured to include various exemplary ornamental shapes and sizes. As shown, the shapes of the various pouches  16  may resemble a gun, a car, a heart, a caricature and/or any other object according to this subject disclosure. 
         [0038]    Likewise, the pouches  16  may include various types of indicia printed thereon. The imprinting may be helpful to identify the expiration of the product stored therein. Various animated imprintings may be provided thereon such as caricatures, shapes and/or other designs. For example, the pouch  16  may include various indicia, designs and/or other aesthetic logos. The pouch  16  may be made of any color or pattern and of any shape and size, including but not limited to a name, images/objects, whimsical designs, logos, cartoon characters, numbers, geometric shapes, animals, birds, flowers, decorative embroidery, alphanumeric markings, and/or combination thereof and/or other indicia. Various themes may be integrated as a part of the configuration of the compartment bag system  10 , such as a Halloween, Christmas, Birthday, Bathroom, Kitchen, Garage and/or any other theme based configuration. 
         [0039]    The indicia may be a bar-code, or the like. As shown in  FIG. 3 , an imprintable space  25  may be provided on the resealable pouch so that a user may mark on the pouch various notes such as the type of item stored therein, an expiration date, and/or other type of information. 
         [0040]    The perforation lines  20  around the various shapes are disposed so that when the pouch  16  is torn away from the remainder of the compartment bag system  10 , the shape of the animated image is outlined by the torn perforation  20 . The various food items stored in the compartment bag system  10  are fun and aesthetically pleasing to the child and more likely to encourage the child to want to tear open and eat their food. 
         [0041]      FIG. 3  illustrates an exemplary use for the compartment bag system  10  being used to arrange and organize a meal. As shown, various items  26  for a lunch meal are arranged in the compartment bag system  10 . For example, a sandwich, grapes, a juice, cookies, chips, apple wedges and a utensil may be conveniently arranged and stored in the compartment bag system  10 . As discussed in more detail later, a handle  28  may be integrated into the compartment bag system  10  to assist in carrying the compartment bag system  10 . 
         [0042]    The advantage of utilizing the compartment bag system  10  of the subject disclosure is that a parent or care provider can better organize the various items placed in their child&#39;s lunch and those eaten by the child. Likewise, it is easy for the parent or caregiver to keep track of what the child has eaten from the compartment bag system  10  as the remaining uneaten portions can remain intact and attached to the compartment bag system  10 . 
         [0043]    Since the compartment bag system  10  is flexible, the various items stored in the pouches  16  of the compartment bag system  10  can be folded in a compact manner and conveniently placed into a lunch bag, lunch box, backpack or the like. 
         [0044]      FIGS. 4-7  illustrate another aspect of the subject disclosure in that the compartment bag system  10  may be constructed to be conveniently folded in a compact manner to place in a lunch bag, a box, a backpack or the like.  FIGS. 4-5  show the compartment bag system  10  being folded longitudinally in a billfold manner. Various handle openings  28  are provided in the compartment bag system  10  and aligned so that when the compartment bag system  10  is folded the various handle openings  28  are aligned in order for a user to easily carry the compartment bag system  10 . 
         [0045]      FIGS. 6-7  further depict a compartment bag system  10  being folded along a horizontally fold in a billfold manner. Likewise, the various handle openings  28  may be arranged and aligned so that the user again can conveniently carry the compartment bag system  10 . In this embodiment, the handle openings are formed by perforations  20 . The perforations  20  may be torn out when the user desires to use handles  28  to conveniently carry the compartment bag system  10  and its contents. 
         [0046]    The compartment bag system  10  may be constructed in a variety of different ways. Most plastic bags are heat sealed together. Some are bonded with adhesives or are stitched. However, in this exemplary construction, the compartment bag system  10  may be constructed in the following manner. 
         [0047]      FIG. 8  illustrates at least one exemplary method for constructing the compartment bag system  10  using a bag producing machine  30 . The components of the bag producing machine  30  are not to scale and can be altered in accordance with this subject disclosure. In the bag producing machine  30 , a first panel  12  and a second panel  14  may be fed along a path that aligns the two panels  12 ,  14  adjacent to each other. The first panel  12  and second panels  14  are fed into various welding heads  50 ,  52 ,  54  of a bag producing machine  30 . The various welding heads  50 ,  52 ,  54  are located along the path in which the first panel  12  and the second panels  14  travel. The various welding heads  32  weld the first panel  12  and the second panel  14  together at predetermined positions and orientations in order to construct the variously configured pouches  16  in the compartment bag system  10 . 
         [0048]    For example, a first set of welding heads  50  are adapted to create continuous longitudinal welds  15  along the outermost side edge seams  15   a,    15   b  of the compartment bag system  10  to create an outer enclosure therefore. 
         [0049]    Although only one is shown, various inner longitudinal welds  51  are created at various predetermined lengths to define internal seams  15   b - 15   i  defining the internal side edges of the individual pouches  16  disposed between the outer longitudinal side edge seams  15   a,    15   b  within the compartment bag system  10 . 
         [0050]    At various other locations along the longitudinal length of the compartment bag system  10 , various other welding heads  52  are provided to create transverse welds to define the various transverse seams  15   m - 15   s  within the compartment bag system  10 . 
         [0051]    Furthermore, various angular welding heads  54  may be disposed along the length of the compartment bag system  10  to define the seams or edges of at least one pouch  15   t - 15   v  having an angular edge within the compartment bag system  10 . It is to be understood that various obtuse or curvilinear welds are possible to define the various obtuse or curvilinear seams throughout the subject disclosure. 
         [0052]    Several design options and features are available for the pouches. The pouches may include gussets (not shown) to provide more rigidity to the strength of the pouch and to allow a greater volume to be placed and supported by the various pouches  16  in the compartment bag system  10 . The construction of the pouches  16  may be constructed sufficiently rigid enough to stand up on a shelf or a refrigerator. Compared to boxes, cartons, or jars, the pouches  16  of this subject disclosure use less material and can folded, stored and/or carried in a compact and easy manner. 
         [0053]    It will be recognized by those skilled in the art that changes or modifications may be made to the above described embodiment without departing from the broad inventive concepts of the invention. It is understood therefore that the invention is not limited to the particular embodiment which is described, but is intended to cover all modifications and changes within the scope and spirit of the invention.