Abstract:
A quick tear open specimen bag for use such as by gloved medical personnel including first and second panels connected along side and bottom edges to define an interior accessible through an open top. A pair of sealable portions extend proximate the open top and are engageable to close the interior after depositing a specimen therein. A third panel secures in overlaying fashion to a selected one of the primary panels to define a second interior for receiving an indicia insert. Gripping lines are configured into each of the first and second panels, between the sealable portions and the interior, and upon being engaged create an even and smooth edged tear to reveal the primary and secondary interiors.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates generally to plastic bag enclosures, such as for holding a medical specimen or the like. More particularly, the present invention teaches a multi-pocket bag device for respectively holding a medical specimen and associated medical literature. A pair of opposing resealable portions facilitate initial sealing of the specimen within the bag. A plurality of closely spaced and parallel extending grip lines extending between the sides of the bag facilitating quick “tear away” of an upper bag portion including the resealable beads, and such as for use by medical personnel wearing gloves and the like.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Prior Art  
         [0004]     The prior art is well documented with examples of reclosable plastic bag devices, these each typically including male and female extending and interlocking profiles, as well as a sealed and moisture resistant interior. The use of such bags is prevalent in the known art and for a wide range of applications.  
         [0005]     The Taheri, Safeguard Specimen Bag (U.S. Pat. No. 6,149,302) teaches a bag exhibiting tamper-evident features and including an adhesive flap foldable to cover the mouth of the bag to deter and indicate tampering with the contents and including access to a secondary compartment in which such as within which an insert is located. The indicia on the bag is visibly altered by attempts to release the adhered flap. A tear zone in the form of a reduced thickness section (see at 350 in FIGS. 12-14) is formed into the sides of the bag between opposite side edges and, upon being engaged, creates a ragged and open end for retrieval of an interiorly held specimen.  
         [0006]     U.S. Pat. No. 5,186,543, issued to Cochran, teaches an easy open container exhibiting guide strips, in the form of protruding beads attached to the protruding surface of the ply material. The guide strips, according to one embodiment, are included with one or more tear strips on a member, which may be attached to a container (see FIG. 13 of the Cochran disclosure).  
         [0007]     PCT/WO92/16422, to Levy, teaches a multi-pocket medical specimen bag, again including a single weakened tear line 40 for easy open. The bag is constructed of three overlaying sheets of clear plastic joined along three common edges to create two separate pockets open along a fourth edge of the assembled sheets. One of the sheets includes an adhesive flap foldable against the exposed fourth edges of the remaining sheets for sealing all of the pockets. The sealed end is torn off along a rear (perforated) tear line (shown at  40 ) to regain access to all pockets.  
         [0008]     Sklar, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0217943, teaches a dual chamber medical specimen bag with a single weakened/perforation line 136 extending across each of first and second plies (see FIG. 7). Reference is also made to the Bowman U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,313, Levy U.S. Pat. No. 5,102,234 and Laske U.S. Pat. No. 6,913,388 patents, and which are cumulative of those previously described.  
       SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION  
       [0009]     The present invention teaches a multi-pocket bag device for respectively (and individually) holding a medical specimen and an associated (medical) literature insert. Resealable portions are defined, in inwardly opposing fashion, between first and second panels of the bag and may include male and female biasingly engaging portions, as well a modified configuration utilizing an adhesive or heat sealing flap or the like. Also, a mechanical zipper can be employed. Upon pre-inserting a desired object (such as in particular a medical and/or biohazard related specimen or even a larger sized item such as a garment article or the like in the instance of a larger sized specimen bag enclosure) facilitate initial sealing of the specimen within the bag.  
         [0010]     A flap overlays a third panel and secures along opposite common side edges of the three panels. The flap may be manipulated to gain access to an outer pocket associated with the multi-pocket bag device, and such as within which is held a paper insert or other indicia.  
         [0011]     A plurality of closely spaced and parallel extending grip lines are arranged in aligning fashion along the first and second panels sides. The grip lines facilitate quick “tear away” of an upper bag portion including the resealable beads, and is used such as by medical personnel wearing gloves.  
         [0012]     The configuration of the tear lines is such that they define, in cross section, interiorly projecting barbs and, to a lesser extent, opposite and outwardly projecting points, these further providing a degree of tactile “feel” during handling and tearing open of the bag by a user. The plural tear line arrangement is further such that it exhibits a thickness at least as great as anywhere along either of the main panels, and therefore does not weaken the structural integrity of the panels. Upon the user ripping open the bag, a uniform and non-ragged edge results from tearing open, this being formed between a given succeeding pair of tear lines associated with each panel.  
         [0013]     An interconnecting edge associated with the third flap overlay may also be positioned in parallel extending fashion between the grip lines and the resealable portions and, upon tearing open the bag, incises the interconnecting edge for fully opening the second panel containing the literature insert, concurrent with opening the primary specimen holding compartment. It is also contemplated that further modifications of the bag structure may either do away with the third panel, rendering a single enclosure, or may add a fourth opposite edge panel for creating first, second and third individual enclosures.  
         [0014]     Additional features further contemplate notching common edges of the bag along a zone defined by the tear lines, and to further facilitate easy and even tear opening of the bag. The exterior facing surface of the first panel further may exhibit a desired indicia arrangement, including such as “BIOHAZARD” and Design warning, and including indicia applicable checklists, such as further to identify a given temperature zone (e.g. Frozen, Refrigerate, Room Temperature) in which to store the bag contents. It is further contemplated that such as a commercial identifying name may be imprinted upon the bag, such as in multiple fashion along its tear zone defined by the plurality of gripping and tear lines. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]     Reference will now be made to the attached drawings, when read in combination with the following detailed description, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, and in which:  
         [0016]      FIG. 1  is an environmental perspective view of the easy tear specimen bag according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0017]      FIG. 2  is a cutaway view taken along line  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1  and illustrating the side profile of the first, second and third panels for defining the individual compartments, as well as the resealable portions and the grip and tear lines defined between the first and second panels for facilitating easy tear opening;  
         [0018]      FIG. 2A  illustrates a partial view of an alternate sealing arrangement and by which the resealing portions are substituted by an adhesive sealing arrangement;  
         [0019]      FIG. 2B  illustrates an alternate modification of the design of  FIG. 2 , and by which a fourth panel is provided in opposite fashion to the third panel arrangement;  
         [0020]      FIG. 3  is an upper sectional perspective of the bag illustrated in  FIG. 1  and illustrating the easy tear opening of the upper bag portion along the tear lines;  
         [0021]      FIG. 4  is an enlargement of an upper sectional portion of  FIG. 2 , and illustrating the enclosed configuration defined by the mating resealable portions, and the resultant overlapping arrangement associated with the mating pluralities of parallel guiding “tear lines” according to the present invention;  
         [0022]      FIG. 5  is a further enlarged partial view of a plurality of tear lines associated with a given panel; and  
         [0023]      FIG. 6  is a partial view of a common bag edge proximate the plurality of tear lines and illustrating one or more notches for facilitating easy tearing along the tear line zone. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0024]     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a multi-pocket bag device is shown at  10  for respectively (and individually) holding a medical specimen (see at  12  in  FIG. 2 ) and an associated, typically medical related, literature insert (further at  14  in  FIG. 2 ). As previously described, the present invention teaches a quick “tear open” medical specimen bag (of a non-tamper evident variety) and which is used such as by gloved medical professionals in order to quickly retrieve the pre-loaded and sealed contents of the bag  10 , such as in laboratory conditions.  
         [0025]     The bag device is typically constructed of a semi or fully transparent plasticized film material, such as is known in the art to include polyester, polyethylene or any other suitable plasticized material exhibiting the properties of sealability. The bag device includes a first main panel  16  and a second main panel  18  which are interconnected together along opposite sides  20  and  22  and a bottom edge  24 , so as to define a primary interior  25  accessible through an open top  26  (referring again to  FIGS. 1 and 2  in combination).  
         [0026]     Resealable portions  28  and  30  are defined, in inwardly opposing fashion, between the first  16  and second  18  panels of the bag  10 , and typically a spaced distance from its top  26 . The resealable portions typically include inwardly opposing male and female interengaging portions, as is known in the art. As further best shown in the enlarged view of  FIG. 4 , spaced above and below the male  28  resealable portion are a pair of wall portions  32  and  34  and which, upon pre-inserting the desired object (such as again a medical and/or biohazard related specimen  12 ) facilitate initial sealing of the specimen  12  within the primary bag interior  25 .  
         [0027]     Referring to  FIG. 2A , an alternate arrangement is shown and by which the resealable portions are substituted by an adhesive portion  33  associated with a modified panel  16 ′, this providing for a permanent seal against an opposing second panel  18 ′. It is also contemplated that an extended flap portion of the first panel, see as further shown in phantom at  16 ″, may include an adhesive portion  35  to effectuate fold-over sealing against an opposite outer surface of the second panel  18 ′ (see indicating arrow in  FIG. 2A ).  
         [0028]     In this fashion, the bag device may provide for a permanent seal in an alternate variant to the releasably sealing aspects of  FIG. 2 . It is further contemplated that, in substitution of adhesive sealing, a heat sealing process may be incorporated and by which the application of heat results in the molecular structure of the opposing panel layers  16  and  18  being adhered together in a permanent fashion. Further, a slider/zipper arrangement (not shown) may be incorporated, such as in cooperation with the resealable arrangement shown in  FIG. 2 , and in a further possible modification of the present design.  
         [0029]     A third panel  36  is secured to the pair of panels  16  and  18 , and as shown in  FIG. 2  in overlaying fashion over the main panel  18 , along the side and bottom edges to define a secondary interior  38  within which is held the indicia insert  14 . According to a preferred variant, a top edge  40  of the third panel  36  terminates at a location below the resealable portions  28  and  30  associated with the main panels and, as will be further described, can align below or contiguous with the plurality of grip lines associated with the main panels  16  and  18 .  
         [0030]     A flap  42  overlays the top  38  of the third panel  36  and, in one variant, secures along both the side edges  20  and  22  of the bag, in addition to engaging along a top edge  44  (see  FIG. 2 ) located a distance below the resealable (or sealable) portions  28  and  30 .  
         [0031]     Referring to the alternate view of  FIG. 2B , it is also envisioned, as shown in phantom at  42 ′, that the location of the flap may be moved to contacting, at  44 ′, the panel  18  contiguous with an outer underside location of the associated resealable portion  30 . In use, the flap  42  is manipulated by the user to gain access to the secondary interior  38 , such as again for preloading the indicia insert  14 . The flap may also include a reduced section perforation line located approximate to an overlaying location associated with the gripping zone, and to further facilitate removal of a portion of the flap constructed according to  42 ′ in  FIG. 2B .  
         [0032]      FIG. 2B  further illustrates the provision of a fourth panel  43 , arranged in opposite fashion to the third panel  36  and such that an associated secondary flap  45  contacts the fourth panel  43  at a location  38 ′, as well as the first selected main panel  16  at  44 ′. In this manner, a bag device is provided including main  25 , secondary  38  and tertiary (see at  38 ′ in  FIG. 2B ) enclosures.  
         [0033]     It is also envisioned that other variants of the present design may remove both the third and fourth panels (such as illustrated in cutaway at  FIG. 4 ), and so that only the first  16  and secondary  18  panels remain to provide a bag device with a single main specimen holding enclosure  25 . It is still further contemplated that the size of the specimen bag can be increased to any desired dimension, and such that the bag is capable of holding larger sized articles potentially of a biohazardous nature and such as garments or the like.  
         [0034]     Referring again to  FIG. 2 , as well as successively to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , pluralities of closely spaced and parallel extending grip lines are arranged in aligning fashion along each of the first and second panels&#39; sides  16  and  18 . These are illustrated by a first plurality of grip lines  46  and a second opposing plurality of grip lines  48 , each plurality of which define a tear band or zone along the bag exterior surface. The illustrated variant shows up to seven grip lines associated with each opposing sub-plurality, it further being understood that any suitable number of grip lines can be employed, between two to infinity, within the scope of the invention.  
         [0035]     The configuration of the tear lines  46  and  48  is such that they define, in cross section, interiorly projecting barbs, see at  50  for lines  46  and at  52  for lines  48 , and, to a lesser extent, opposite and outwardly projecting points, at  54  and  56  respectively and which face the exterior/outward surfaces of the bag ply layers  16  and  18  (see as best shown in enlarged views of  FIGS. 4 and 5 ). Of note, the construction of the plural tear line is further such that it does not exhibit a reduced thickness (i.e., that it maintains a thickness at least as great if not greater) within the tear zones and established along either the panels  16  and  18  as best shown by the further enlarged partial view of  FIG. 5 .  
         [0036]     Upon preloading and sealing the bag, the inner barb portions  50  and  52  (see as best shown in  FIG. 4 ) associated with the individual and opposing pluralities of tear lines overlay one another in the manner shown. Prior to tearing open the bag, the user places his/her fingertips over the roughened gripping locations established by the outer points  54  and  56  associated with each of the gripping lines  46  and  48 , this providing the user with a tactile “feel” and gripping surface. Upon the user ripping open the bag, this being referenced in  FIG. 3 , a uniform and non-ragged edge  56  (see  FIG. 3 ) results from a tear edge established by guided and ripping action occurring along and between aligning pairs of successive tear lines  46  and  48  associated with the panels  16  and  18 .  
         [0037]     The grip lines, as such, facilitate quick “tear away” of an upper bag portion  58  (again  FIG. 3 ) including an uppermost section of the bag including the resealable beads  28  and  30  (or any other permanently sealable options such as previously described), and further such as by medical personnel wearing gloves. Depending upon the positioning of the flap (such as referenced in its alternate location at  42 ′ in  FIG. 2 ) opening along the tear zone likewise causes the flap to be sectioned and to likewise reveal the secondary interior  38 , by incising the interconnecting edge  44 ′ for fully opening the secondary compartment containing the literature insert and concurrent with opening the primary specimen holding compartment  25 .  
         [0038]     Additional features further contemplate notching common edges of the bag, see as shown at  60  in  FIG. 6 , along the zone defined by the tear lines, and to further facilitate easy and even tear opening of the bag. The number and arrangement of notches is optional along each of the opposite side edges  20  and  22  of the bag and, in certain applications, facilitates initiation of a clean tear edge and while otherwise retaining the sealing nature of the bag interior.  
         [0039]     The exterior facing surface of a selected panel, typically panel  16  opposite third panel  36 , further may exhibit a desired indicia arrangement, including such as “BIOHAZARD” and Design warning, see at  62  in  FIG. 1 . Additional indicia may include applicable checklists  64 ,  66 ,  68 , et seq., such as further to identify a given temperature zone (e.g. Frozen, Refrigerate, Room Temperature) in which to store the bag contents. An additional indicia scheme  70  may also include a commercial or source identifying imprint, such as along the tear zones (see  FIG. 1 ).  
         [0040]     Having described my invention, other and additional preferred embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which it pertains and without deviating from the scope of the appended claims.