Convenience package for thin film products

A convenience package for thin film products according to aspects of the present invention places a folded stack of thin film plastic bags inside a container to protect the bags during shipping, handling and dispensing. The container surrounds the plastic bags and includes an opening through which individual bags are retrieved. The plastic bags are attached to each other in such a manner that retrieval of a first bag through the opening in the container partially retrieves a second bag and leaves part of the second bag protruding through the opening. Attachments between bags within the container ensure that each bag is opened as it is retrieved through the opening.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to the dispensing of plastic bags and more particularly to a dispensing arrangement of plastic bags that protects the bags before dispensing and from which bags are dispensed open and individually.

2. Description of the Related Art

Plastic bags have become the preferred means for packaging goods sold in shops and markets throughout the world. As manufacturing techniques become more sophisticated, bags have become extremely thin, complicating their storage, dispensing and use. Currently, it is known to stack multiple thin film plastic bags and bond them together at one or more points so that the assembled stack of bags can be stored and displayed neatly. The bonded portions may be part of a bag root from which each bag breaks away at perforations between the bag and bag root.

Typically, the consumer or clerk grasps any convenient portion of the bag and exerts pulling force to break the perforations and separate a bag from the bag toot. This motion does not usually open the bag. The thin film from which bags are constructed is inherently flimsy and prone to static charge. The limp nature of the film combined with static charges cause the inner layers of the bag to cling together, making opening of the bag inconvenient and time consuming. Frequently, opening the bag requires extensive manipulation that potentially contaminates the bag. Additionally, the user frequently grasps and retrieves more than one bag. This often results in unused bags being thrown away.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,716,296 discloses an arrangement in which the bags are provided with a low-melt temperature outside layer. This outside layer allows stacked bags to be bonded together at adjacent outside surfaces, while the inside surfaces of the bags remain free of each other. This feature connects successive bags in a stacked arrangement such that removal of a bag draws open the next bag in the stack. While bonding adjacent bags in a stacked arrangement assists in opening adjacent bags, further improvements are possible.

There is a need in the art for an arrangement for dispensing plastic bags which is not only practical for transportation and display but also overcomes the inconveniences associated with bag retrieval and opening as described above. Ideally, the arrangement will reduce the possibility of contamination of bags before they are used.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A convenience package for thin film products according to aspects of the present invention places a folded stack of thin film plastic bags inside a container to protect the bags during shipping, handling and dispensing. The container surrounds the plastic bags and includes an opening through which individual bags are retrieved. The plastic bags are attached to each other in such a manner that retrieval of a first bag through the opening in the container partially retrieves a second bag and leaves part of the second bag protruding through the opening. Attachments between bags within the container ensure that each bag is opened as it is retrieved through the opening.

An aspect of the present invention relates to a particular configuration of stacked thin film bags. Each bag includes a sleeve-like body extending between an open first end and a closed second end. A heat-sealed bond across the bag body typically closes the second end. In the disclosed embodiments, the open end of the bag is connected to an upper root by a perforated connection, while the closed end of the bag is connected to a lower root by a perforated connection. The bags are arranged in a stack with the upper roots aligned over the upper roots of other bags in the stack and lower roots aligned over the lower roots of other bags in the stack. In the disclosed embodiment the upper and lower roots are bonded together. Each bag includes an outer layer which permits a bond to be formed between the outside layers of adjacent bags in the stack while leaving the inside layers of the bags free of each other. The outside layer may take the form of a plastic film having a lower melting temperature than the plastic film of the inside layer. Other means of achieving the bond such as adhesives are also possible. This bond between the outside layers of adjacent bags in the stack serves to draw a following bag through the opening of the container upon retrieval of the top bag in the stack.

According to aspects of the present invention, the stack of film bags is folded and the upper and lower roots are bonded together and to the container. This produces a compact package where the folded end of the folded stack is exposed through the opening in the container.

The container for the convenience package may be a flexible film package as illustrated, or a rigid reusable container. A flexible film package may provide the opening by perforating or weakening a seam around the opening. Upon removal of the container material over the opening, the folded end of the folded stack of bags is exposed through the opening. Grasping the top bag in the stack and pulling it through the opening breaks the perforated connections between the bag and its upper and lower roots. The outside layer of the back of the top bag in the stack is bonded to the outside layer of the front of the second bag in the stack. Removal of the top bag in the stack draws the front of the second bag away from its perforated connection to the upper root and through the opening. This movement opens the second bag in the stack and exposes a portion of the upper edge of the bag to facilitate removal. The strength of the bond between the outside surfaces of adjacent bags is sufficient to pull the front of the following bag through the opening, but configured to separate before breaking the lower perforated connection of the following bag. Thus, only a portion of the front rim of the following bag is exposed before retrieval. Bags are dispensed one at a time and in an open condition. The exposed portion of the bag facilitates removal.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A preferred embodiment of a convenience package for thin film products is shown inFIGS. 1–3. The convenience package10includes a folded stack20of film bags surrounded by a container22. The illustrated container22is constructed of a flexible plastic film. Other containers constructed of rigid plastic or other rigid materials are also compatible with the present invention. The container22is generally box-shaped and defines an opening24generally in the center and adjacent the top edge26of a side face28of a container. A flexible film container may provide the opening24by perforating or weakening a seam62around the opening as shown inFIG. 3. The folded stack20of film bags is placed inside the container22. Each bag30includes a sleeve-like bag body having a front32, a back34, an open upper end36, and a closed lower end38. The open upper36end is connected to an upper bag root40by a perforated connection42. The closed lower end38is connected to a lower bag root44by a second perforated connection46. The film bags30include an inside layer48and an outside layer50. A bond52is formed between the outside layers50of adjacent bags. The bond52is laterally centered between the side edges of the bags and located between the folded end54of the folded stack20and the perforated connection42between the open upper end36of the bag body and the upper bag root40. The inside layers48of the bags30are left free of each other adjacent the bond52.

As best shown inFIGS. 1 and 2, the back34of each bag in the stack is bonded to the front32of the following bag in the stack (except the bottom bag in the stack). Removal of a bag30through the opening24in the container breaks the perforated connections46,42between the bag30and the lower and upper roots40,44, respectively. The bond52between bags is constructed to be weaker than the lower perforated connection46but stronger than the upper perforated connection42. During removal of a bag30through the opening24, the perforated connection between the bag30and the lower root44is broken first due to pulling force of the user. When the bond52between bags breaks, a portion58of an open bag is left protruding through the container opening24. This configuration facilitates removal of individual open bags from the convenience package10.

The bags30are arranged in a stack with the upper roots40and lower roots44aligned. The bond52between the outside layers50of the bags is formed prior to folding the stacked bags to form the folded stack20. In the folded stack20, the upper roots40are aligned with and over the lower roots44. In the illustrated embodiment of the folded stack20the upper and lower roots40,44are bonded together at points60and secured inside the container22. This configuration is compact and keeps the bags30neatly organized within the convenience package10. Bags are secured to the folded stack20by the perforated connections42,46at the upper and lower roots40,44. This configuration ensures that only one bag at a time is removed. Bags are opened by removal of the preceding bag as shown inFIGS. 1 and 2and described above. The container22protects the stacked thin film bags during transportation and use.

While a preferred embodiment of the foregoing invention has been set forth for purposes of illustration, the foregoing description should not be deemed a limitation of the invention herein. Accordingly, various modifications adaptations and alternatives may occur to one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and the scope of the present invention.