Abstract:
A plastic bag comprising a grip strip configured to assist with opening the bag, wherein the grip strip is formed from a material different from a material from which its associated panel is formed.

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/084,129 filed Nov. 19, 2013, the entire disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention generally relates to plastic bags, and more specifically, a plastic bag that includes a grip strip. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Plastic bags made of high density polyethylene (HDPE) are used in many different settings, such as supermarkets, department stores, and similar applications. The plastic bags may be dispensed from flat packs or may be wound on rolls. The bags made of thin, flexible HDPE films tend to be very difficult to open because HDPE film has a very low surface coefficient of friction (COF). The front and rear panels of the plastic bag often stick or cling to each other, making it difficult for a customer to identify the opening of the bag and to separate the front and rear panels to open the bag due to the low COF of the film. Thus, it would be beneficial to have a plastic bag configured for easy opening. 
         [0004]    Several attempts have been made to provide easy opening for bags. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,894,947 uses embossment or piercing to enhance gripping. However, embossment or piercing weakens the strength of the film. U.S. Publication 2003/0138171 uses a non-slip coating, a zipper with a co-extruded flange, or embossment. However, applying a coating is an extra process that adds to the time and cost to manufacture the bag, the co-extruded flange requires that the bag includes a special zipper, and, as already stated, embossment weakens the strength of the film. U.S. Pat. No. 7,950,851 uses rib profiles to enhance grip to tear a bag. However, extra materials are needed to form the raised ribs from the bag walls. Accordingly, it would be beneficial to have an improved plastic bag configured for easy opening. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    In one aspect of the present invention, the invention is directed to a plastic bag comprising two panels wherein at least one of the panels has a grip strip configured to assist with opening the bag, wherein the grip strip is co-extruded with its associated panel and the grip strip is formed from a material different from a material from which its associated panel is formed. 
         [0006]    The invention is also directed to a plastic having the above-described panels, edges, and opening and at least one grip strip having a coefficient of friction higher than a coefficient of friction of the panel, the at least one grip strip extending horizontally along the panel adjacent the top edge from the first side edge to the second side edge or, alternatively, the at least one grip strip extending vertically along the panel from the top edge to the bottom edge. 
         [0007]    Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a front elevation of a plastic bag having a vertical grip strip according to an embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the front panel of the plastic bag as curled away from the rear panel for easy opening of the bag; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a fragmentary perspective of a plastic bag having a plurality of vertical grip strips according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a fragmentary cross section of a panel of the plastic bag, illustrating the grip strip extending partially through a thickness of the panel; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a fragmentary cross section of the plastic bag, illustrating the front and rear panels curled away from each other for easy opening of the bag; 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a front elevation of a plastic bag having two vertical grip strips according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is a front elevation of a plastic bag having a horizontal grip strip according to an embodiment of the present invention, illustrating a portion of the front panel of the plastic bag as curled away from the rear panel for easy opening of the bag; 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is a fragmentary perspective of the plastic bag of  FIG. 6 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  is a fragmentary cross section of a panel of the plastic bag of  FIG. 6 , illustrating the grip strip extending partially through a thickness of the panel; 
           [0016]      FIG. 9  is a fragmentary cross section of the plastic bag, illustrating the front and rear panels curled away from each other for easy opening of the bag; 
           [0017]      FIG. 10  is a front elevation of a plastic bag having two horizontal grip strips according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 11  is a fragmentary perspective of a plastic bag having a vertical grip strip on a front panel and a vertical grip strip on a rear panel aligned with the grip strip on the front panel according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 12  is a perspective of multiple bags as shown in  FIG. 11  rolled together to form a bag roll; 
           [0020]      FIG. 13  is a perspective of the bag roll of  FIG. 12  illustrating a first bag being torn away from the remainder of the bag roll causing the next bag to open; and 
           [0021]      FIG. 14  is a fragmentary cross section of two plastic bags in the bag roll of  FIG. 12  illustrating the grip strips of the bags overlying and engaging each other. 
       
    
    
       [0022]    Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings. 
       DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0023]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-5 , a plastic bag is shown generally at  10 . The plastic bag  10  includes coextensive front and rear panels  12  and  14 , respectively (broadly, first and second panels). The panels  12 ,  14  are joined at the bottom  16  and sides  18  of the bag  10 . The bag  10  can be formed by extruding a tubular film (see  FIG. 2 ), and the bottom of the tubular film sealed together to form the bag. Alternatively, the panels  12 ,  14  can be formed as a single sheet of material that is folded at the bottom of the bag  10  along a linear fold, and the sides edges joined together by fusion lines. The panels  12 ,  14  can be joined in other manners within the scope of this invention. For example, the panels may be formed as separate sheets and fused together along the bottom and side edges. Whether the panels are formed as a tubular film, formed as one piece and folded over, or formed as two pieces, the edges are considered to be “joined” together for purposes of this description. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the panels  12 ,  14  may not be coextensive. For example, the top of one of the panels can extend above the top of the other panel. 
         [0024]    The bag  10  can be any suitable size for a particular application. For example, the bag  10  can be a narrow profile produce bag having a width in a range of about 12 inches to about 14 inches and a length in a range of about 18 inches to about 24 inches. Alternatively, the bag  10  can be a regular profile produce bag having a width in a range of about 10 inches to about 12 inches and a length in a range of about 15 inches to about 20 inches. The bag  10  can also be a t-shirt type bag having front and rear gusset panels and a cutout forming a pair of bag handles, the t-shirt type bag having a width in a range of about 7.5 inches to about 8 inches, a gusset in a range of about 5 inches to about 6.5 inches, and a length in a range of about 19.5 inches to about 24 inches. These examples are for illustration purposes only, as the bag  10  can be any size and configuration within the scope of the present invention. 
         [0025]    The panels  12 ,  14  each have an outer surface  20  and an inner surface  22 . The inner surfaces  22  of the joined panels  12 ,  14  define a bag interior  24  for receiving items placed in the bag  10 . The top edges  26 ,  28  of the panels  12 ,  14  are unsecured along their length to define an opening  30  permitting access to the bag interior  24  and its contents. The top edge  26  of the panel  12  is illustrated in  FIG. 1  as being curled away from the top edge  28  of the panel  14 , as will be described in more detail below. The bag  10  includes a grip to facilitate movement of the panels  12 ,  14  with respect to each other for opening the bag. The grip can be any structure that permits gripping of the panels  12 ,  14  to open the bag  10 , such as a co-extrusion of a sticky resin. 
         [0026]    In the illustrated embodiment, the grip comprises a sticky or tacky grip strip  32 . The grip strip  32  is a vertical strip that extends between the top edges  26 ,  28  of the panels  12 ,  14  and the bottom  16  of the bag  10 . The strip  32  is relatively tacky or sticky as compared to the remainder of the bag  10 , which is relatively smooth in comparison. The relatively smooth remainder of the bag  10  has a relatively low COF as compared to the grip strip  32 , which has a higher COF to improve grip. As illustrated, at least one of the panels  12 ,  14  includes at least one strip  32  on the outer surface  20  of the panel. Each of the panels  12 ,  14  can include any desired number of grip strips. For example, each panel  12 ,  14  can include one strip  32  (see  FIG. 1 ), two grip strips (see  FIG. 5 ), three grip strips (see  FIG. 2 ), or any other suitable number of grip strips. Each strip  32  preferably has a width W 1  in a range of about 0.25 inches to about 5 inches, such as from about 0.5 inches to about 2.5 inches. If the panel includes multiple strips  32 , the strips can be spaced from each other by a distance D 1  in a range of about 1 inch to about 10 inches, such as from about 2 inches to about 5 inches. 
         [0027]    In the illustrated embodiment, the first panel  12  has the same number of grip strips  32  as the second panel  14 , and each strip on the first panel is aligned with a strip on the second panel. However, other configurations are within the scope of the present invention. For example, the panels  12 ,  14  can have different numbers of strips  32 , the strips on the panels can be staggered from each other, or only one of the panels can include a strip or strips. As illustrated, each grip strip  32  extends along the entire height of the panels  12 ,  14  from the top edges  26 ,  28  to the bottom  16  of the bag  10 . However, the vertical strip  32  may extend over only a portion of the height of the panels  12 ,  14  within the scope of the present invention. Preferably, the grip strip  32  extends to the top edges  26 ,  28  and is immediately adjacent the opening  30 . 
         [0028]    As seen in  FIG. 3 , each grip strip  32  extends partially through a thickness T 1  of each panel  12 ,  14 . The grip strip  32  has a thickness T 2  extending from the outer surface  20  toward the inner surface  22  of each panel  12 ,  14 . In one embodiment, the thickness T 1  is in a range of about 5 μm to about 20 μm, and the thickness T 2  of the grip strip  32  is in a range of about 30% to about 90% of T 1 , such as between about 45% and about 75% of T 1 . In one embodiment, T 1  is about 8 μm and T 2  is about 5 μm. 
         [0029]    In the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 6-8 , grip strip(s)  132  extend horizontally across each panel  12 ,  14  between the sides  18  of the bag  10 .  FIG. 6  is a front elevation illustrating a portion of the front panel of the plastic bag as curled away from the rear panel for easy opening of the bag. The grip strip  132  is identical in material to the grip strip  32  described above. The grip strip  132  is relatively tacky or sticky as compared to the remainder of the bag  10 , which is relatively smooth in comparison. The relatively smooth remainder of the bag  10  has a relatively low COF as compared to the grip strip  132 , which has a higher COF to improve grip. As illustrated, at least one of the panels  12 ,  14  includes at least one grip strip  132  on the outer surface  20  of the panel. Each of the panels  12 ,  14  can include any desired number of grip strips. For example, each panel  12 ,  14  can include one grip strip  132  (see  FIGS. 6 and 7 ), two strips (see  FIG. 10 ), three strips, or any other suitable number of grip strips. Each strip  132  preferably has a width W 2  in a range of about 0.25 inches to about 5 inches, such as from about 0.5 inches to about 2.5 inches. If the panel includes multiple strips  132 , the strips can be spaced from each other by a distance D 2  in a range of about 1 inch to about 10 inches, such as from about 2 inches to about 5 inches. 
         [0030]    In the illustrated embodiment, the first panel  12  has the same number of grip strips  132  as the second panel  14 , and each strip on the first panel is aligned with a strip on the second panel. However, other configurations are within the scope of the present invention. For example, the panels  12 ,  14  can have different numbers of grip strips  132 , the grip strips on the panels can be staggered from each other, or only one of the panels can include a grip strip. As illustrated, each horizontal grip strip  132  extends along the entire width of the panels  12 ,  14  between the sides  18  of the bag  10 , from left edge to right edge. However, the horizontal grip strip  132  may extend over only a portion of the width of the panels  12 ,  14  within the scope of the present invention. Preferably, the grip strip  132  extends to the top edges  26 ,  28  and is immediately adjacent the opening  30 . In one preferred embodiment, the edge of the grip strip is coterminous with the edge of the bag and the edge that defines the opening. 
         [0031]    As seen in  FIG. 8 , each grip strip  132  extends partially through the thickness T 1  of each panel  12 ,  14 . The grip strip  132  has a thickness T 2  extending from the outer surface  20  toward the inner surface  22  of each panel  12 ,  14 . In one embodiment, the thickness T 1  is in a range of about 5 μm to about 20 μm, and the thickness T 2  of the grip strip  132  is in a range of about 30% to about 90% of T 1 , such as between about 45% and about 75% of T 1 . In one embodiment, T 1  is about 8 μm and T 2  is about 5 μm. 
         [0032]    The plastic bag  10  is preferably made from a thermoplastic material comprising ethylene-based polymers, such as high-density polyethylene (HDPE), although other suitable materials are within the scope of the present invention. As noted, the plastic bag  10  includes at least one relatively tacky strip  32 ,  132  and a relatively smooth surface of the remainder of the bag, the relatively smooth surface having a relatively low COF. The grip strip  32 ,  132  preferably is made of a material with a higher coefficient of friction than the remainder of the bag. The grip strip is preferably made from a polyethylene of lower density than the HDPE used to make the remainder of the bag; for example the grip strip comprises or is made from a material such as low density polyethylene (LDPE), linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE), ethylene copolymers [such as ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer], or metallocene polyethylene or ethylene copolymer. Examples of suitable metallocene lower density polyethylenes or ethylene copolymer include VISTAMAXX sold by Exxon Mobil, AFFINITY sold by The Dow Chemical Company, and ENGAGE sold by the Dow Chemical Company. For example, in one embodiment the smooth portions of the bag are made from HDPE film having a density of greater than about 0.935 g/cm 3 , and the grip strips  32 ,  132  are made from low density polyethylene having a density below about 0.935 g/cm 3 . 
         [0033]    Using polyethylenes having different densities provide portions of varying coefficients of friction (COF). Typically, the COF of the smooth portions is less than about 0.3 or from about 0.1 to about 0.3 (e.g., about 0.1). The COF of the grip strip(s) is at least about 0.5 or from about 0.5 to about 1.0. These varying coefficients of friction can also be manifest by the relative COFs of the inner and outer surfaces. For example, typically the ratio of the COF of the grip strips to the smooth portions is at least 1:1, more typically at least about 1.5:1 (e.g., about 2:1). 
         [0034]    As an alternative to using polyethylenes having different densities, the relatively smooth surface and relatively tacky surface can be imparted by incorporating one or more surface modification agents into the film used to prepare the plastic bag  10 . Suitable surface modification agents for this purpose include slip additives and anti-block additives for the smooth surface and tackifiers for the tacky grip strip. In this manner, the relatively smooth portions and relatively tacky portions of the films used to construct the plastic bag are modified by virtue of the presence of one or more components (i.e., are chemically modified). However, using polyethylenes having different material properties as described is preferred. 
         [0035]    The grip strips  32 ,  132  are co-extruded with the panels  12 ,  14 . The grip strips are made of a material (i.e., ethylene-based polymer having a lower density, as described above) which is different from the material of the panels  12 ,  14 , which is essentially embedded in the material for the panels  12 ,  14  for co-axial extrusion. The process includes extruding two or more materials through a single die with two or more orifices arranged so that the extrudates merge and weld together into a laminar structure before chilling. Co-extrusion can be employed in film blowing. The advantage of co-extrusion is that each ply of the laminate imparts a desired characteristic property, such as stiffness, heat-sealability, impermeability or resistance to some environment, all of which properties would be impossible to attain with any single material. 
         [0036]    The grip strips  32 ,  132  permit easy opening of the plastic bag  10 . A user can grasp the bag  10  on the strips  32 ,  132  and use the strips to move the first and second panels  12 ,  14  relative to each other to open the bag. The user can easily grip the outer surface  20  of each panel  12 ,  14  at the grip strip  32 ,  132  and twist (or move the panels in opposing directions) to open the bag. The grip strips  32 ,  132  provide a surface the user can easily grip to create relative movement between the panels, as opposed to the smooth surface of the remainder of the bag that is not easily gripped. 
         [0037]    Furthermore, because of the material differences between the smooth surfaces of the remainder of the bag and the grip strip  32 ,  132  in one embodiment of the invention, the top edges  26 ,  28  of the panels curl outward away from each other to facilitate opening of the bag  10 . In particular, the HDPE film used to form the major panels of the bag is of higher crystallinity and has a faster crystallization speed than the lower density polyethylene material used to make the grip strip segment. For example, in one embodiment the HDPE film used to form the major panels of the bag preferably has a degree of crystallinity of at least 70%, and the lower density polyethylene material used to make the grip strip preferably has a degree of crystallinity of less than 70%. In one embodiment, the HDPE film has a degree of crystallinity in a range of about 70-80% and the lower density polyethylene grip strip has a degree of crystallinity of less than 60%, for example 45-55%. Thus, shortly after the film blowing co-extrusion process, the HDPE film reaches its equilibrium state after which the dimension of the HDPE film does not change. Since the lower density polyethylene used to form the grip strips  32 ,  132  has a lower crystallinity and a slower crystallization speed, its dimensions continue to change—i.e., it continues to shrink—even after the HDPE material to which it is bonded has reached equilibrium and ceased changing. This differential imparts internal stress to the composite film. When the top of the bag is liberated by cutting or tearing at the bag opening, the internal stress relaxes and, as seen in  FIGS. 4 and 9 , the shrinking of the grip strips  32 ,  132  causes the top edges  26 ,  28  of the bag  10  to curl outward away from each other. 
         [0038]    The degree of crystallization depends on the material components. For example, in one aspect it depends on the alpha-olefin content (i.e., short-chain branch). For HDPE, butene-alpha olefin is used for copolymerization and its alpha-olefin content is low which results in a high degree of crystallization. LLDPE has higher content of alpha-olefin; so the degree of crystallization is lower than HDPE. The crystallization temperature (peak) is about 8˜10° C. below melt temperature. For example, with a 125° C. melt temperature for hexene-LLDPE, the crystallization temperature is about 117˜115° C. In addition, one skilled in the art well understands that processing conditions affect the the degree of crystallization and crystallization temperature. For pure HDPE, the % of crystallization is about 70-80%. In contrast, the degree of crystallization for pure LDPE is about 45-55%. LLDPE has a degree of crystallization between these two. And blending different types of resin such as LLDPE/LDPE or LLDPE/HDPE can be used to control the degree of crystallization. As a general proposition, the crystallization rate is too fast to be quantified for polyethylene. However, the invention in one aspect can be described and then recognized in terms of relative rates of crystallization without actually quantifying the rates. This relieves the assessor of having to be concerned about under what conditions—e.g., from what temperature to what temperature, in what atmosphere, etc.—the rates of crystallization are to be measured. Rather, one skilled in the art will understand that in this aspect the invention involves a co-extruded grip strip material which has a crystallization speed which is different from, preferably slower than, a crystallization speed of the panel material; and the relevant conditions are those conditions under which the co-extrusion occurs and under which the bag is cooled, and the those conditions are not narrowly critical to this embodiment of the invention, provided the above-described conditions of internal stress are imparted. 
         [0039]    As seen in  FIGS. 4 and 9 , multiple bags  10  can be formed by a blown film co-extrusion process and then sealed at  34  and perforated at  36 . To use a bag, a user tears the film at the perforation  36  to remove a single bag from the remainder of the bags formed together. Upon tearing the film at the perforation  36 , the top edges  26 ,  28  of the single bag  10  are no longer connected, and the internal stresses within the opposite panels  12 ,  14  no longer cancel each other out. Thus, upon tearing the film to remove a single bag, the panels  12 ,  14  will begin to curl outward from each other due to the stress relaxation in the grip strips  32 ,  132 . The user can then easily identify the opening  30  of the bag  10  and can easily open the bag. 
         [0040]    As seen in the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 11-14 , multiple bags  10  can be formed by a blown film co-extrusion process, sealed and perforated as described above, and rolled together to form a bag roll  40 . As illustrated, each bag  10  in the bag roll  40  includes a vertical grip strip  32  on the front panel  12  and a vertical grip strip  32  on the rear panel aligned with the grip strip on the front panel. However, it is understood that the bags in the bag roll can have a different number or configuration of grip strips, such as in the embodiments described above. As seen in  FIG. 11 , a first bag  10   a  in the bag roll  40  includes a vertical grip strip  32   a  on the front panel  12   a  and a vertical grip strip  32   a ′ on the back panel  14   a.  Likewise, as seen in  FIGS. 13 and 14 , a second bag  10   b  in the bag roll  40  includes a grip strip  32   b  on the front panel  12   b  and a grip strip  32   b ′ on the back panel  14   b,  and a third bag  10   c  includes a grip strip  32   c  on the front panel  12   c  and a grip strip  32   c ′ on the back panel  14   c.  When multiple bags  10   a,    10   b ,  10   c  are rolled to form the bag roll  40 , the grip strips  32  of each bag align with each other. As seen in  FIG. 13 , when bag  10   a  is pulled outward and upward to tear the bag at the perforation  36 , an upward force is imparted on the next bag  10   b  in the bag roll  40 . This upward force causes the front panel  12   b  of the bag  10   b  to lift upward away from the back panel  14   b  of the bag. The back panel  14   b  of the bag  10   b  does not lift upward because of the alignment of the grip strip  32   b ′ with the grip strip  32   c  on the front panel  12   c  of the third bag  10   c.    
         [0041]      FIG. 14  illustrates the alignment of the grip strips  32   b ′ and  32   c  on the bags  10   b  and  10   c.  The grip strip  32   b ′ on the back panel  14   b  of the outer bag  10   b  overlies and engages the grip strip  32   c  on a front panel  12   c  of the inner bag  10   c.  The grip strips  32   b ′ and  32   c  engage each other with a higher bond strength than the remainder of the panels. Thus, because of the engagement of the grip strips, the panels  14   b,    12   c  will remain stuck together even as an upward force is applied to the bag  10   b  upon the removal of bag  10   a,  whereas the front panel  12   b  is separated from the back panel  14   b.  Removal of the bag  10   a  therefore causes the next bag  10   b  to open as the front panel  12   b  of the next bag is lifted upward and the rear panel  14   b  remains in place against the remainder of the bag roll  40 . 
         [0042]    In other embodiments, each bag  10  may only include one grip strip  32 , or the grip strips of overlying bags may not align with each other. The grip strip  32  of one bag will have a higher bond strength even with the smooth portion of another bag relative to the bond strength of two smooth portions together. Thus, even a bag with only one grip strip on the surface facing the remainder of the bag roll would be opened by removal of a preceding bag. 
         [0043]    The grip strips  32 ,  132  therefore permit easy opening of the bag  10  in multiple ways. A user can easily grip the grip strips  32 ,  132  to move the panels  12 ,  14  relative to each other to open the bag  10 . The material differences in the smooth portions of the bag  10  and the grip strips  32 ,  132  cause the panels  12 ,  14  to curl outward away from each other so that the user can easily identify the opening  30  of the bag and easily open the bag. And removal of one bag  10  from a bag roll  40  causes the front panel  12  of the next bag to lift upward while the grip strip  32 ,  132  causes the back panel  14  of the next bag to remain in place, thereby allowing the user to easily identify the opening  30  of the bag and easily open the bag. 
         [0044]    The bag  10  can include different colored portions to provide information to the user about the location of the grip strips  32 ,  132 . In one embodiment, the grip strip  32 ,  132  is a different color than the panels  12 ,  14 . This displays to a user the location of the grip strip  32 ,  132 , which indicates where the user should grasp the bag  10  to open the bag. 
         [0045]    Having described the invention in detail, it will be apparent that modifications and variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention defined in the appended claims. 
         [0046]    When introducing elements of the present invention or the preferred embodiments(s) thereof, the articles “a”, “an”, the and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising”, “including” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements. 
         [0047]    In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained. 
         [0048]    As various changes could be made in the above products without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.