Patent Publication Number: US-2018050843-A1

Title: Bag

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention concerns a bag comprising a closing device for closing the bag. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Several types of bags exist, specifically disposal bags. Such disposal bags may also comprise a closing device for closing the opening of the bag. Bags having features corresponding to the preamble of enclosed patent claim  1  are known. 
     The objective of the present invention is to provide a bag having a closing device which is easy to use, and wherein the bag remains closed after the closing device is tightened. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is defined in independent claim  1 , and relates to a bag comprising a first layer and a second layer of a material, wherein 
     the first layer and the second layer is merged at several of their first edge areas ( 10   a ,  10   b ,  10   c ) thereby forming a compartment,
 
the first layer and the second layer comprises an additional edge area forming an opening into the compartment,
 
the bag comprises a closing device,
 
the closing device comprises a tightening element provided in a channel transverse to the bag adjacent to the opening,
 
a first end of the tightening element projects from the channel in an initial state,
 
the bag is configured to be brought into a closed condition wherein the opening is at least partially closed by pulling the tightening element,
 
characterized in that the tightening element comprises a stopping device, wherein
 
the stopping device is provided inside the channel in the initial position,
 
the stopping device, when it is pulled out from the channel in the closed state, prevents the tightening element from moving into the channel again.
 
     In one aspect the stopping device is provided as a barb at the tightening device. The barb may for example be provided at a recess in the tightening device, or as a stiffened area of the tightening area. 
     In one aspect the stopping device is provided as a wing on the tightening element, 
     In one aspect, the wing is provided by bending or folding an area of the tightening element, wherein the bended or folded area is subsequently fixed to the tightening element. 
     In one aspect, the bended or folded area is fixed to the tightening element by gluing, plastic welding or the like. 
     In one aspect, the stopping device is provided as a double wing on the tightening element. 
     In one aspect, a second end of the tightening element is fixed to the bag. 
     In one aspect, the closing device comprises an additional tightening element provided in the channel, wherein the first end of the tightening element projects from the channel at the opposite side of the end at the first tightening element in the initial state, and wherein the additional tightening element comprises a second end fixed to the bag. 
     In one aspect, the channel has an opening in both ends. 
     In one aspect, the tightening element is provided as a continuous loop through the channel. 
    
    
     
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       In the following, embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the enclosed drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates the first and second layers of the bag, 
         FIG. 2  illustrates the layers merged into a bag in the initial state, 
         FIG. 3  illustrates the bag in the closed state, 
         FIG. 4  illustrates an enlarged view of the circle A in  FIG. 3 , 
         FIGS. 5 a - c    illustrate an embodiment of the tightening element viewed from different sides, 
         FIGS. 6 a - f    illustrate different embodiments of the stopping device, 
         FIGS. 7 a - e    illustrate several embodiments of the stopping device, 
         FIG. 8  shows a detail of an opening in the channel for the tightening element. 
     
    
    
     Reference is made to  FIGS. 1 and 2 . A bag  1  comprises a first layer  2  and a second layer  3  of a material, e.g., a plastic material. These layers are shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     The first layer and the second layer are merged at several of their first edge areas  10   a ,  10   b ,  10   c , as shown in  FIG. 2 . Consequently, a compartment  11  is provided between layers  2  and  3 . The second layer and the first layer may be provided as two separate parts which are merged, or which may be provided as one part being merged using a fold along the area  10   b , and then merged by welding or gluing or by other means along the areas  10   a  and  10   c . In  FIG. 2 , the edge area  10   b  forms the bottom of the bag, and the edge areas  10   a ,  10   c  form the sides of the bag. 
     The first layer  2  and the second layer  3  comprise an additional, or a second, edge area  10   d , which forms an opening  12  to the compartment  11 . The edge area  10   d  may comprise an opening  19  which forms a handle for carrying. 
     The bag comprises a closing device which in general is referred to in the figures by an arrow  20 . 
     In  FIG. 2 , it is shown that each layer  2 ,  3  comprise two channels  22   a, b  transverse to the bag  1  close to the opening  12 , a lower channel  22   a  and an upper channel  22   b . However, the invention is not limited to this, it is possible to provide the bag  1  with only one channel  22  in each layer  2 ,  3 . The one channel or the channels  22  may be provided in the upper part of the bag  1  in an embodiment without handles; in embodiments with handle  19 , the channel is preferably provided under the handles. 
     The channels  22  may be open in one end or may be open in both ends. The opening in the channel  22  is generally referred to by reference number  26  in the figures. Each layer  2 ,  3  may have one channel or may have two channels  22 . In  FIGS. 1 and 2 , it is shown that each layer  2 ,  3  has two channels, one above the other. The channels  22  are provided in the same position in each of the layers  2 ,  3 , such that a tightening element  21  may be arranged in the channels. 
     The tightening element  21  is in the embodiments shown in the figures provided as a strip or ribbon, and is adapted to be arranged in one channel  22 . Preferably, the tightening element  21  is flat, such that a flat bag is achieved. This is advantageous when many bags are to be placed on top of each other during storage and transport of the bags. 
     Different embodiments of the invention will now be described. The bag  1  may have an initial state as shown in  FIG. 2 , in which the bag is substantially flat, possibly the opening  12  of the bag is open, and may then be filled with disposables or other objects. In the initial state, the first end  21   a  of the tightening element  21  projects from the channel  22  such that it is available for being pulled. 
     The bag  1  may also be present in a closed state, as shown in  FIG. 3 , in which pulling of the tightening element  21  via the available end  21   a  has caused the bag  1  to be brought into the closed state. In the closed state, the opening  12  is at least partially closed. 
     The bag and the tightening element may be formed from a plastic material, e.g., a new plastic material, a recycled plastic material, or a mixture of these. They may also be provided from a biologically degradable material. Other materials may also be used. 
     The tightening element  21  further comprises a stopping device  23 . The stopping device  23  is provided inside the channel  22  in the initial position. When the stopping device  23  is pulled out from the channel  22 , i.e., when the bag  1  is in the closed state, the stopping device  23  prevents the tightening element  21  from moving back into the channel  22  again. Thus, in the closed state, the stopping device  23  is engaged against the opening  26  in the channel  22 . 
     Reference is made to  FIGS. 5 a - c   , wherein an embodiment of the tightening element  21  is shown. Here, the tightening element comprises the previously described ends  21   a , as well as the stopper element  23 . Further, also a second end  21   b  is shown here: in  FIG. 2 , this end  21   b  is attached innermost in respective channel  22 , e.g., by a plastic weld (heating of the second end  21   b  of the tightening element  21  and the channel  22  in the same area, which causes a melting together of the tightening element  21  and the channel  22  in the layers  2 ,  3 ) or the like. 
     The stopping device  23  is in the figures provided as a wing at the tightening element  21 . The wing, which is shown in detail in  FIG. 6 f   , may be provided by bending or folding an area  31  of the tightening element  21 , wherein, subsequently, the bended or folded area is attached to the tightening element  21  through a plastic weld  32  or through another means of attachment, such as gluing, seam etc. The wing  31  is engaged against the opening  26  in the channel  22  and prevents the tightening element  21  from sliding further back into the channel  22 . 
     An alternative stopping device  23  is shown in  FIG. 6 a   . Here, the stopping device  23  is provided using a stiffened area  33 . The stiffened area  33  is provided using several inclined seams in the tightening element  21 , which makes this area of the tightening device  33  stiffer than the rest of the tightening element  21 , which prevents the stiffened area  33  from returning into the channel  22  after having been pulled out of the channel  22 . 
     An alternative stopping device  23  is shown in  FIG. 6 b   ; here, the stopping device  23  is provided as two spaced apart seams  34   a ,  34   bg  transverse to the tightening element  21 , and this will have a corresponding function to the stopping device  23  in  FIG. 6   a.    
     An alternative stopping device  23  is shown in  FIG. 6 c   : here, the stopping device  23  is provided having two spaced apart seams  35   a ,  35   b  formed as two arrows or angles transverse to the tightening element  23 . 
     Also the stopping devices in  FIGS. 6 a -6 c    will engage against the opening  26  in the channel  22  and prevent the tightening element  21  from sliding further back into the channel  22 . An alternative stopping device  23  is shown in  FIGS. 6 d  and 6 e   . Here, the stopping device  23  is formed as a double wing with two projecting elements  31   a ,  31   b  from the stopping device  21 , wherein the stopping device  21  first is folded as in  FIG. 6 e    and then is merged together by a plastic seam or plastic weld  32  as in  FIG. 6 d   . Again, the wings  31   a ,  31   b  will engage against the opening  26  in the channel  22  and prevent the tightening element  21  from further sliding back into the channel  22 . 
     The stopping device may then be provided as an area of the tightening device which comprises an extension which prevents the tightening device from entering into the channel again after being pulled out, or the stopping device may cause friction against the channel  22  and in the same way prevent the tightening device from entering back into the channel again after being pulled out. The friction may be provided by a structure or surface as mentioned above, or by the stopping device being formed from one or more materials which will provide friction against the channel  22  and which thus keep the bag closed. 
     In the embodiments shown in  FIG. 6 a - f    the stopping device  23  is generally provided by using the material of the tightening element  21  itself, in addition to attachment means such as glue/seam etc. 
     It is now referred to  FIGS. 7 a - e   . The pulling direction for pulling the tightening element  21  out of the channel  22  is shown by arrow T. 
     In  FIG. 7 a    the stopping device  23  is provided by an extra material  41  being attached to the tightening element  21 . The extra material  41  is preferably formed such that it slides easily out of the opening  26  of the channel  22 , but is prevented from sliding back into the opening again. As shown, the extra material  41  is formed with a sliding face  41   a  and a barb  41   b.    
     In  FIG. 7 b    the stopping device  23  is provided by removing parts of the tightening element  21 . The tightening element  21  is here made from a thicker material, wherein a wedge shaped recess  42  is provided on both sides of the tightening element  21  by removing parts of the tightening element  21 . 
       FIG. 7 c    corresponds substantially to  FIG. 7 b   . Here, the stopping device  23  in the form of the wedge shaped recess  42  is only provided on one side of the tightening element  21 . 
     In  FIG. 7 d   , the tightening element  21  is not necessarily made from a thicker material; here the tightening element  21  is a slim ribbon as shown in  FIGS. 1-6 . Here, the stopping device  23  is also provided with a wedge shaped recess  42  on both sides of the ribbon. 
     In  FIG. 7 e   , the stopping device  23  is provided as a recess  43  in the shape of a hole in the tightening element  21  proper. The recess  43  is substantially V shaped, with a V shaped barb  42   b  formed from the material of the tightening element  21 . 
     In the description above, the term “wedge shaped” designates that the stopping device  23  has a sliding face  42   a  which easily slides in the direction out of the channel and a barb  42   b  which stops against the opening  26 . The sliding face  42   a  and the barb  42   b  are only shown in  FIGS. 7 b    and  7   d.    
     In the examples of  FIG. 7  above it is thus the barbs  41   b ,  42   b  which are engaged against the opening  26  in the channel and prevents the tightening element  21  from sliding further back into the channel  22 . 
     Reference is now made to  FIG. 8 . Here, it is shown that an area  26   a  close to the opening  26  in the channel  22  may be stiffened to contribute to the stopping device  23  being prevented from sliding into the channel  22  again after having been pulled out. The stiffened area  26   a  may be provided using the above mentioned methods, e.g., plastic welds, plastic seams etc. 
     Embodiments of Channels/Tightening Devices 
     Example 1 
     Here, the first layer  2  has one channel  22 , and the other layer  3  has one channel  22 , arranged at at the same height inside the bag  1 . The channels has only openings in one end. The opening in the channel  22  in the first layer  2  is arranged on a first side (e.g., to the left) and the opening in the channel  22  in the second layer  3  is arranged on the opposite side (e.g., to the right). A first tightening element  21  is arranged in the channel  22 . A first end  21   a  of the tightening element projects out from the channel  22  in the first layer  2 , and a first end  21   a  of the tightening element  21  projects from the channel  22  in the second layer  3  in the initial state. The ends  21   a  are attached to each other. The other ends  21   b  are attached to the bag  1  innermost in the channels  22 . 
     Example 2 
     Correspond substantially to example 1. Here, the channels  22  have opening in both ends. The closing device comprises  20  an additional tightening element  21  provided in the same channels  22 , wherein a first end  21   a  of the additional tightening element  21  projects from the channel  22  on the opposite side of the end  21   a  at the first tightening element  21  in the initial state, and wherein the additional tightening element  21  comprises a second end  21   b  attached to the bag  1 . 
     Example 3 
     Corresponds to example 2, however, here the second ends  21   b ,  21   b  are not attached to the bag, instead they are attached to each other such that each of the first tightening element  21  and the additional tightening element  21  form a continuous loop through the channel  22 . 
     Example 4 
     As in the Figures. Here, there are two channels  22  in the first layer  2  and two channels in the second layer  3 .