Patent Publication Number: US-2007098307-A1

Title: Fold-Over Newspaper Bag

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      Not Applicable  
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
      Not Applicable  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of Invention  
      This invention pertains to protective covers for newspapers and other periodicals.  
      More particularly, this invention pertains to a flexible bag sized to receive a newspaper or other periodical and including an integrated fold-over cap to enclose the newspaper or other periodical to protect it from inclement weather.  
      2. Description of the Related Art  
      Newspapers and other periodicals are generally printed on paper and delivered outside the door of the subscriber, where they remain until the subscriber retrieves them. When weather conditions are dry, the newspapers are generally secured with an elastic band and otherwise unprotected from the weather. However, when precipitation is falling or expected, it is common to insert the newspaper into an elongated plastic bag having a sealed end and an open end. Unfortunately, the open end allows moisture to enter into the bag and damage the newspaper. In order to overcome the penetration of moisture into the bag, some newspaper deliverers insert the newspaper into one bag and then insert the open end of the bag into the open end of a second bag (called double bagging) so that each end of the newspaper is adjacent to a sealed end of a bag.  
      Double-bagging, while relatively effective at minimizing moisture entry, is both time-consuming an expensive because two bags must be used. Also, because the bags are generally constructed from plastics and later thrown away, this technique is a waste of resources.  
      One effort that has been made to avoid the double-bagging approach is disclosed in U.S. Design Pat. No. 319,177, issued to Dungjen on Aug. 20, 1991. The newspaper bag disclosed therein appears to include an extension flap adjacent to the open end of the elongated bag and a strip of adhesive is applied to the distal end of the flap so that after insertion of the newspaper the flap may be secured to the outside of the bag with the adhesive strip. While avoiding the time and expense of double-bagging, this bag still allows moisture to enter along the sides of the flap. Moreover, the adhesive requires a slip sheet or some other manner of preventing bags from adhering to one another when they are stacked and stored, adding additional expense to the bag  
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      According to one embodiment of the present invention, a bag is provided for enclosing a newspaper or other periodical. The bag includes a side sealed, solid bottom end and a top enclosing end. The elongated bag preferably includes a first panel and a second panel. The bottom edge of the first panel adjoins the bottom edge of the second panel. The right edge of the first panel is secured to the right edge of the second panel. The left edge of the first panel is secured to the left edge of the second panel.  
      A third panel adjoins the top edge of the first panel and extends downwardly toward the bottom edge of the first panel. The right edge of the third panel is secured to the right edge of the first panel and the left edge of the third panel is secured to the left edge of the first panel. The first panel and the third panel cooperatively define a pocket oriented downwardly. The second panel includes a flap section which extends upwardly beyond the top edge of the first panel and the adjoining top edge of the third panel.  
      The length of the first panel is greater than the length of a rolled newspaper or other periodical inserted between the first panel and the second panel. After the periodical is inserted, the flap section of the second panel is folded over the periodical and inserted between the periodical and the first panel. The third panel is flexed over the flap section to extend downwardly over the second panel. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The above-mentioned features of the invention will become more clearly understood from the following detailed description of the invention read together with the drawings in which:  
       FIG. 1  is a plan view of a stack of bags embodying various features of the present invention.  
       FIG. 2A  is a perspective view of bag in accordance with the present invention prior to insertion of a rolled periodical.  
       FIG. 2B  is a perspective view of bag in accordance with the present invention after insertion of a rolled periodical.  
       FIG. 2C  is a perspective view of bag in accordance with the present invention after insertion of a flap.  FIG. 2D  is a perspective view of bag in accordance with the present invention after enclosure of a rolled periodical. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
      An apparatus for enclosing a newspaper or other periodical to protect from moisture is disclosed. Referring to the drawings in which similarly numbered features are common to the drawings a bag  10  is attached to a securing panel  12 . The securing panel  12  is secured to the bag  10  along a line of weakness  14  provided by perforations, for example. The securing panels  12  of a plurality of bags  10  are secured to form a stack  11  of bags  10  which may be sequentially removed from the stack for enclosing periodicals.  
      Each bag  10  comprises a generally rectangular first panel  16 , a generally rectangular second panel  18  and a generally rectangular third panel  20 . The three panels  16 ,  18  and  20  are preferably formed from a single sheet of non-porous, flexible material such as low density polyethylene (LDPE), linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) or high density polyethylene (HDPE) and preferably 1 mil in thickness, but may have a greater or lesser thickness.  
      The first panel  16  includes a bottom edge  22 , an opposing top edge  24 , a left side edge  26  and an opposing right edge  28 . The second panel  18  includes a bottom edge  32 , an opposing top edge  34 , a left side edge  36 , an opposing right edge  38  and a flap section  40 . The third panel  20  includes a bottom edge  42 , an opposing top edge  44 , a left side edge  46  and an opposing right edge  48 .  
      In the depicted embodiment, the panels  16 ,  18  and  20  are about 8 inches wide, the first panel  16  is about 15 inches tall, the second panel is about 18 inches tall and the third panel is about 4 to 5 inches tall.  
      The bottom edge  22  of the first panel  16  is secured to the bottom edge  32  of the second panel  18 , as by folding, heat sealing or adhesive, for example. The left side edge  26  of the first panel  16 , extending from the bottom edge  22  to the top edge  24 , is secured to a portion of the left side edge  36  of the second panel  18 , as by heat sealing or adhesive, for example. The right side edge  28  of the first panel  16 , extending from the bottom edge  22  to the top edge  24 , is secured to a portion of the right side edge  38  of the second panel  18 , as by heat sealing or adhesive, for example. The top edge  24  of the first panel  16  is not secured to the second panel to thus define an open end of the bag  10  and access to the interior of the bag  10 .  
      The top edge  24  of the first panel  16  is secured to the top edge  44  of the third panel  20 , as by folding, heat sealing or adhesive, for example. The left side edge  46  of the third panel  20 , extending downwardly from the top edge  24  of the first panel, is secured to a portion of the left side edge  26  of the first panel  16 , as by heat sealing or adhesive, for example. The right side edge  48  of the third panel  20 , extending downwardly from the top edge  22 , is secured to a portion of the right side edge  28  of the first panel  16 , as by heat sealing or adhesive, for example. The top edge  44  of the third panel  20  is unsecured.  
      The second panel  18  includes a flap section  40  which extends above the top edge  24  of the first panel  16  and the top edge  44  of the third panel  20 .  
      As described hereinabove, the bag  10  may be formed from a single elongated sheet of material by folding the sheet in half to define the bottom edges  22  and  32 , then folding the edge  44  downwardly to define the top edges  24  and  44 . Thereafter, the left edges  26 ,  36  and  46  may be joined by heat seal or adhesive, for example, and the right edges  28 ,  38  and  48  may be joined by heat seal or adhesive, for example.  
      In operation, a bag  10  is removed from a securing panel  12 . A periodical, such as the newspaper  52 , which may be rolled or flat, is inserted between the first panel  16  and the second panel  18  adjacent to the top edge  24  of the first panel  16 , as depicted in  FIGS. 2A and 2B . The length and width of the panel  16  are adapted to receive the newspaper  52  so that the newspaper  52  preferably does not extend above the top edge  24  of the first panel  16  and the top edge  44  of the third panel  20 .  
      As depicted in  FIG. 2C , the top edge  34  of the flap section  40  is extended over the newspaper and inserted between the newspaper  52  and the first panel  16 , thus capping the exposed end of the newspaper  52 .  
      The bottom edge  42  of the third panel  20  is flexed upwardly and rolled over the flap section  50  to extend downwardly over the second panel  18  and enclose the flap section  40  and the newspaper  52 , as depicted in  FIG. 2D .  
      Those skilled in the art will recognize that various materials and dimensions may be used for bags without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.  
      From the foregoing description, it will be recognized by those skilled in the art that an improved bag for protecting periodicals from moisture has been provided.  
      While the present invention has been illustrated by description of several embodiments and while the illustrative embodiments have been described in considerable detail, it is not the intention of the applicant to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. The invention in its broader aspects is therefore not limited to the specific details, representative apparatus and methods, and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the spirit or scope of applicant&#39;s general inventive concept.