Abstract:
A multi-use food bag comprises a front wall and a rear wall considerably longer than the front wall to define a flap protruding from a base portion. The flap has a proximal portion of essentially equal width as the base portion, and a distal portion of variable width such that regions of the distal portion have a width that is narrower than the proximal portion. The flap is foldable so as to temporarily cover a food item contained with the bag.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to the field of disposable food bags. More particularly, the invention relates to multi-use disposable food bags. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Due to increased competition in the fast food industry, various types of food items have recently been introduced to the public. Many of these food items are intended to be eaten at the point of purchase while the food item is still warm. However, a significant percentage of food items that are sold are intended to be eaten at a later time, such as in an office or factory environment, or while traveling in a motor vehicle. 
         [0003]    In order to prevent soiling of the hands when eating such food items, a disposable bag is provided when the food item is sold so that the bag may be held rather than the food item itself. A sold food item is conveniently eaten when the bag is sized to be only slightly larger than the food item; however, if the bag is considerably larger than the food item, the user would have to slide the food item within the bag towards the upper edge of the bag or to introduce his mouth within the interior of the bag in order to access the food item, all of which operations are inconvenient and detract from the pleasure of eating. 
         [0004]    When the bag is sized to be only slightly larger than the food item, a partially consumed food item to be eaten at a later time is exposed to germs since the bag is not large enough to enable an upper portion be folded so as to cover the food item. 
         [0005]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a food bag that can temporarily cover a partially consumed food item. 
         [0006]    It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a food bag that is sized to be only slightly larger than the food item. 
         [0007]    Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The present invention provides a food bag for temporarily covering a food item contained therein, comprising a front wall and a rear wall considerably longer than said front wall to define a flap protruding from a base portion, wherein said flap has a proximal portion of essentially equal width as said base portion and a distal portion of variable width such that regions of said distal portion have a width that is narrower than said proximal portion, said flap being foldable so as to temporarily cover a food item contained with said bag. 
         [0009]    A partially consumed food item to be eaten at a later time may therefore be covered so as not to be exposed to germs. 
         [0010]    In one aspect, the distal portion is provided with closure means, for temporary attachment with the front wall when the flap is folded. The closure means may comprise a first adhesive strip applied to the inner face of the flap and a second adhesive strip applied to the outer face of the front wall; two slits formed within the front wall, through each of which the distal flap portion is introducible for securement with the front wall; or a flexible metallic clip attached to the inner face of the flap which is engageable with the front wall. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    In the drawings: 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  is a rear view of a bag according to one embodiment of the present invention, shown in an opened position; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a front view of the bag of  FIG. 1 , shown in a closed position; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  illustrates in plan view the configuration of the sheet material from which the bag of  FIG. 1  is formed; 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a front view of the bag of  FIG. 1 , showing one embodiment of closure means while in an opened position; 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a front view of a bag in a closed position, showing another embodiment of closure means; 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is a front view of a bag in a nearly closed position, showing another embodiment of closure means; and 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is a rear view of another embodiment of a bag, shown in an opened position. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0019]    The present invention is a novel food bag for temporarily covering a food item contained therein which may have dimensions substantially equal to, and slightly less than, those of the bag in a closed position. A user wishing to continue eating the food item at a later time simply folds a flap to cover the food item and to protect the same from germs. 
         [0020]      FIG. 1  illustrates a rear view of a bag  10  according to one embodiment of the present invention, shown in an opened position. Rear wall  3 , which is connected to the shorter front wall by means of side walls  5 , e.g. gusseted side walls or side walls perforated with a plurality of apertures  6  to release a desired amount of moisture from the bag interior, has a base portion A of substantially the same length as the front wall and a flap  8  that protrudes from both base portion A and the front wall when set in the opened position. Flap  8 , which is foldable about fold line  12  and may have a length from the fold line of greater than 3 cm, has a proximal portion B of essentially equal width as base portion A and a triangular distal portion C that gradually tapers to rounded corner  9  at the greatest distance from fold line  12 . Rear wall  3  may be provided with, although not necessary, a centrally positioned narrow clear panel  11 , which may extend the entire length of the rear wall as shown or a limited length thereof, to allow a food item  13 , e.g. a bagel, to be visible. 
         [0021]      FIG. 2  illustrates a front view of bag  10  shown in a closed position whereby flap  8  covers front wall  2  and rounded corner  9  is closer to bottom edge  1  than to fold line  12 . 
         [0022]    The front and rear walls of the bag may be made of any desired flexible material, including a cellulose based material, plastic based material, or a composite cellulose and plastic material. The material from which the bag is made may be resistant to a high temperature of over 200° C., may be durable to the food heating conditions within a microwave oven, may be resistant to cold temperatures such as those present in a refrigerator or freezer, may be applied with an anti-mist or anti-sticking agent, may be laminated, may be grease-resistant, and/or may be biodegradable. 
         [0023]      FIG. 3  illustrates in plan view the configuration of the sheet material  10 A from which bag  10  is formed. Sheet material  10 A including the triangular distal portion may be shaped from a web by the R26 bag forming machine manufactured by Holweg, France, or by any other suitable machine. 
         [0024]    Front wall section  2 A, rear wall section  3 A, and side wall sections  5 A and  5 B are foldable at fold line  1 A to define the bottom edge of the bag. After front wall section  2 A is adhesively attached to side wall section  5 A, strips  16  and  17  protruding from rear wall section  3 A are folded about fold line  19  coinciding with the bottom edge of front wall section  2 A and side wall sections  5 A and  5 B, to adhesively attach rear wall section  3 A to front wall section  2 A. The bottom of the bag is then reinforced by folding and adhesively attaching a bottom portion of all of the sections at fold line  2 A. 
         [0025]      FIG. 4  illustrates a front view of bag  10  shown in an opened position. Front wall  2  may have a curved or any other shaped upper edge  21  that is spaced from fold line  12 , to improve accessibility to a food item placed within the interior of bag  10  between front wall  2  and rear wall  3 . Flap  8  may be temporarily attached to front wall  2  by releasable and reusable adhesive means, for example adhesive strip  23  applied to the inner face of flap  8  in the vicinity of rounded corner  9  and a corresponding adhesive strip  24  applied to the outer face of front wall  2 . The adhesive strips may be made of pressure sensitive adhesive and may be resistant to a high temperature of over 200° C. 
         [0026]    Another closure means is shown in  FIG. 5 . Two parallel and spaced slits  26  and  27  of a different length may be formed in front wall  2 , to allow rounded corner  9  of flap  8  to be passed through upper slit  26 , positioned under front wall  2 , and then passed through lower slit  27 , so as to releasably secure flap  8  to front wall  2 . The length of slits  26  and  27  is selected to correspond to the width of flap  8  at the given region of the distal flap portion that is passed through each slit. 
         [0027]    In  FIG. 6  is illustrated another closure means embodied by a flexible metallic clip. Metallic clip  32  is adhesively attached to the inner face of flap  8 , for example to clear panel  11  as shown. Elongated metallic clip  32  may be longitudinally oriented, i.e. extending between the rounded corner and the bottom edge of the bag, and positioned such that its centerline substantially coincides with fold line  12 . Thus the disposition of metallic clip  32  conforms to that of flap  8 —the clip is substantially planar if the flap is completely opened and is arcuate when the flap is in a closed position. The degree of engagement between clip  32  and front wall  2  may be increased by pressing on the clip. In this embodiment, the upper edge of front wall  2  is straight so that clip  32  will be firmly secured to the front wall. 
         [0028]      FIG. 7  illustrates a bag  40  having a flap  38  which is configured with an arcuate distal portion. It will be appreciated that the distal portion can be configured in any other desired fashion, including a trapezoidal and circular shape. 
         [0029]    While some embodiments of the invention have been described by way of illustration, it will be apparent that the invention can be carried out with many modifications, variations and adaptations, and with the use of numerous equivalents or alternative solutions that are within the scope of persons skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of the invention or exceeding the scope of the claims.