Patent Publication Number: US-11021322-B1

Title: Resealable disposable bag with air release flap

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable 
     FEDERALLY SPONSORED REASEARCH 
     Not Applicable 
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
     This invention relates to disposable bags, more particularly, to resealable disposable bags for food waste with an air release flap. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Most foods have indigestible parts or waste that will need a place to be discarded. Often times, food waste is place or expelled via spitting on the ground. Other times, paper napkins, cups, or plates are used to hold food waste but these items serve other purposes and are not a suitable discarding receptacle. 
     To maintain a clean and hygienic environment, there is a need for a discrete food waste disposal bag that can be used store food waste until a proper waste receptacle is located. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A discrete food waste disposal bag is a hand held waste receptacle that will hold and conceal waste. A disposable bag comprising: a body having an open end portion and a sealed end portion, an air release flap located on the body between the open end portion and the sealed end portion, wherein the air release flap allows air to exit the body of the disposable bag, a first opening located at the end of the open end portion, wherein a user blows air into the first opening, a tear line located on the body approximate to the open end portion, wherein the tear line is configured to expose a second opening, wherein the first opening is smaller than the second opening. Further comprising: a first seal, wherein the first seal is located in the first opening; a second seal, wherein the first seal is located in the second opening; and a third seal, wherein the third seal is located in a third opening of the air release flap. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing an inflated disposal bag of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2A  is a side view of a first opening of the open end portion;  FIG. 2B  is a perspective view of one embodiment of a first opening of the open end portion of the present invention; and  FIG. 2C  is a top view of one embodiment of a first opening of the open end portion of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3A  includes a perspective view of one embodiment of the first opening in a flat state and  FIG. 3B  is a side view of the first opening in a round state of said embodiment. 
         FIG. 4A  is a perspective view of the second opening with partial removal of an edge of the open end portion of the presentation invention shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 4B  is a perspective view of the second opening with a complete removal of the edge of the open end portion.  FIGS. 4C to 4E  show various embodiments of tear lines of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5A  is a partial view of one embodiment of an air release flap mechanism of the present invention;  FIG. 5B  is a partial view of one embodiment of an one-way valve within the air release flap of the present invention;  FIGS. 5C and 5D  are front sectional views illustrating one embodiment of the air release flap mechanism of the present invention. 
         FIGS. 6A and 6B  are front sectional views illustrating various embodiments of a first seal, a second seal, and a third seal; and,  FIG. 6C  is a top partial view of  FIG. 6B . 
         FIG. 7A  is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention illustrating fold lines; and  FIG. 7B  is a side sectional view of  FIG. 7A  that includes the one-way air valve and a fragrance compartment of the one embodiment. 
         FIGS. 8A-8C  illustrate the method steps by which a user can fold the disposable bag of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this application will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the true scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , an example of a disposable bag  10  embodying this invention is shown as having a body  100  that may be inflated. The body  100  has an open end portion  110 , a sealed end portion  120 , an upper surface  102 , and a lower surface  104 . The open end  110  and the sealed end  120  may be regions of the body  100 . The sealed end portion  120  may be permanently sealed by adhesive, thermal, mechanical stamping, or other conventional means used to seal disposable bags. The body  100  also includes an air release flap  130 . The body  100  also has a cavity  106  where food waste or waste is stored. The body  100  may have a substantially rectangular shape as shown in  FIG. 1 , the body  100  may any shape such as a round shape, a spherical shape, a cylindrical shape, a square shape, a conical shape, etc. In some embodiments, the cavity  106  may also store fluids. 
     The open end portion  110  and the sealed end portion  120  are shown as having a straight edge in  FIG. 1 . The open end portion  110  and the seal end portion may have any shaped edge such as a round edge, a semi-circle edge, a semi-oval edge, a zig-zag edge, including one or more zig-zags, a slanted edge, where one corner extends pass the other corner, a wavy edge, etc. 
     The disposable bag  10  may be made from a flexible material including but not limited to paper, plastic, leather, vinyl, organic fabric, polypropylene, metal, composite metal, or in combination. The preferred embodiment of the disposable bag  10  may be constructed from aluminum foil, paper, plastic or the combination thereof. The material used for the body  100  should be stiff to maintain structure, but flexible so that the body can be expanded, compressed, and/or folded. The disposable bag  10  may be made of a printable material, where a graphical design may be placed or printed on the body  100 . The graphical design may include pictures, words, colors, text, lines, shapes, etc. The graphical design may include thermal color ink that may change colors when subjected to different temperatures. 
     In some embodiments, the cavity  106  of the body  100  may be coated with a sealing material, the sealing material includes wax, plastic, polypropylene, rubber, or other water impermeable material. In some embodiments, the cavity  106 , the open end  110 , and the sealed end  120  may be coated with an anti-bacterial material. In some embodiments the sealing material may be scented with a fragrance to compete with any odor from the waste disposed within the cavity  106 . In some embodiments, the fragrance may be stored in the air release flap  130  and may be activated upon release of air. 
     The open end portion  110  may contain a first opening  140 , as best shown in  FIG. 2A . The first opening  140  may be used by the user to blow air into the body  100 . The first opening  140  may be smaller than an edge of the open end portion  110 . In some embodiments, a portion of the edge of the open end portion  110  may be permanently sealed  200 , as best shown in  FIG. 2C . The sealed portion of the edge of the open end  110  may be sealed similar to the sealed end  120 , as mention above. In one embodiment, the first opening  140  may be a perforated shaped outline or a machine pressed line  146  that requires the user to puncture before the first opening  140  may be used. 
     In another embodiment, the first opening  140  may be used in conjunction with a tube or straw  142  as seen in  FIG. 2B . The tube or straw  142  may be made from plastic, paper, organic material, or flexible metal, such as aluminum foil. The user may insert the stray  142  into the first opening  140  or use the straw  142  to puncture the perforation shaped outline or the machine pressed line  146  of the first opening  140 . Next, the user may blow air into the cavity  106  to inflate and expand the body  100 . 
     In another embodiment, the first opening  140  may be a protrusion  144  from the open end portion  110 , as seen in  FIG. 3A . The protrusion  144  acts as a mouth piece where the user may push the two end corners of the open end portion  120  together as seen in  FIG. 3B . The protrusion  144  goes from a flat state, where upper and lower surfaces  144   a ,  144   b  of the protrusion  144  at the open end portion  110  are parallel, to a round state, where the upper and lower surfaces  144   a ,  144   b  of the protrusion  144  form a cylinder opening into the body  110  as shown in  FIG. 3B . The upper and lower surfaces  144   a ,  144   b  may be an extension of the upper and lower surfaces  102 ,  104  of the body  110 . 
     Now referring back to  FIG. 1 , the open end portion  110  may contain a tear line  150 . The tear line  150  may be a perforated line or a machine pressed line across the body  100  within the end portion  110 . The tear line  150  may be used to separate an edge  190  of the open end portion  110  from the body  100  as seen in  FIG. 4A . In one embodiment, the tear line  150  may be made up of a plurality of lines  152 , as best seen in  FIGS. 4C to 4E . The user may tear the tear line  150  to create a second opening  160 , as best seen in  FIG. 4B . The second opening  160  may be use as an opening for discarded waste or food waste. 
     In another embodiment, the tear line  150  may be on single surface surface  102 ,  104  of the body  100  as seen in  FIG. 4E . The upper surface  102  or the lower surface  104  may be perforated or machine pressed so that the tear line  150  creates the second opening  160  on the the upper surface  102  or the lower surface  104 . This embodiment would prevent the accidental loss of the open end portion  110  that may be removed from the body  100 , thereby preventing the user from unintentional littering. The tear line  150  may be made by laser, mechanical punch, mechanical press, or mechanical roller means. 
     In some embodiments, the second opening  160  can be smaller than the cross-sectional volume of the body  100 . In some embodiments, the second opening  160  may be larger than the first opening  140 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 5A , the air release flap  130  may be positioned near the center of the body  100 . In some embodiments, the body  100  may have one or more air release flaps  130  on the upper surface  102 , the lower surface  104 . The body  100  may have one or more air release flaps on both the upper surface  102  and the lower surface  104 . The user may use the one or more air release flaps  130  to release air from the cavity  106  of the body  100 . 
     In some embodiments, the air release flap  130  contains a one-way valve  132  as seen in  FIG. 5B . The one-way valve  132  may allow air to exit while preventing odor from exiting from the air release flap  130 . This may be done using an air filter made from paper, organic and non organic fiber, plastic, or carbon charcoal material. In one embodiment, the air release flap  130  may contain a fragrance compartment  139 , best seen in  FIG. 7B , that releases a fragrance material. The fragrance compartment  139  may be within the air release flap  130 , next to the air release flap  130 , or within the one-way valve  132 . This may be done by unsealing a portion of the air release flap  130 , pressing on the fragrance compartment  139  to push the fragrance material through a tube connecting to and out of the air release flap  130 , or through the one-way valve  132 , where the air exiting the one-way release valve  132  pressurizes and expels the air from the fragrance compartment  139   
     In some embodiments, the air release flap  130  may be an additional material layer permanently sealed on one side to the body  100  to cover a hole or the one-way valve  132  positioned in the body  100  of the disposable bag  10 , as shown in  FIG. 6C . The air release flap  130  may be permanently sealed at one end of the additional layer by adhesive, thermal, mechanical stamping, or other conventional means used to seal disposable bags. For example, the air release flap  130  may be attached to the upper surface  102  of the body  100  by an adhesive  202 , as seen in  FIGS. 6A-6C . The air release flap  130  may be made from the same material of the body  100  of the disposable bag  10  or may be made of a different material that is more flexible than the material used for the body  100 . For example, the body  100  may be made of paper material, while the air release flap  130  may be made of plastic material. In some embodiments, the air release flap is integral with the body  100  and is made by perforating, cutting, stamping, or lasering the upper or lower surfaces of the body  100 . 
     In one embodiment, the user may cover the air release flap  130  or the one-way valve  132  with their finger to prevent air loss from the body  100 . In another embodiment, the user may press a button  134  near the air release flap  130  to release the air from the body  100  as seen in  FIG. 5C . The button  134  may cause the air release flap  130  to lift from the upper surface  102  of the body  100 , as best seen in  FIG. 5D . In some embodiments, the button  134  may also release the fragrance material from the fragrance compartment  139 . The air release flap  130  may be lifted by a lever  135  that is attached to the cavity  106  of the body  100  at a point  136 . The pressure from the user&#39;s finger on one end  135   a  of the lever  135  causes the other end  135   b  of the lever  135  to lift the air flap release  130  due to cantilever forces. 
     Now referring to  FIG. 6A , in some embodiments, the first opening  140  may contain a seal  148  that prevents or reduces a fluid from passing through the first opening  140 . In another embodiment, the second opening  140  may contain a seal  168  that prevents or reduce a fluid from passing through the second opening  160 . In another embodiment, the air release flap  130  may contain a seal  138  that prevents or reduces a fluid from passing through the air release flap  130 . The fluid may be in a gas or a liquid state. The seal  138 ,  148 ,  168  may be an adhesive, a snap fit, a button, a resealable membrane, an interlocking groove and ridge resealable fastener, i.e., a Ziploc™ seal, a fold in tab, a folding wire, a hook and loop fastener, i.e., a Velcro™ brand strip, or in combination. The seals may be approximate to the respective openings, i.e., inside or outside the openings.  FIG. 6  illustrates seals  138 ,  148 ,  168  within the body  100 . Note,  FIGS. 6A to 6C  may not be drawn to scale, but is merely and exemplary illustration. The seals  138 ,  148 ,  168  may be the same type of seal as described above and shown in  FIG. 6A , all different types of seals, or a combination thereof as seen in  FIG. 6B . In some embodiments, only one of the seals  148 ,  168  may be similar to the seal  138 . For example, the first seal  148  on the outside of the first opening  140  and the third seal  138  inside the air release flap may contain a resealable adhesive, whereas the second seal  168  within the second opening  160  contains an interlocking groove and ridge resealable fastener. In some embodiments, the first seal  148  and the third seal  138  may be sealed together via their respective resealable adhesives. Connecting the first seal  148  and the third seal  138  may allow the user to fold the body  100  into a semi-permanent position until the user decides to unseal the first seal  148  and the second seal  138 . 
     In some alternate embodiments, the disposable bag  10  may come pre-filled with a product, where the product may be a solid material, a liquid material, or a gas material, or a combination thereof. The seals  138 ,  148 ,  168  would prevent a loss of the product and the disposable bag  10  may be resealed with the seals  138 ,  148 ,  168  during the life time use of the disposable bag  10 , which may depend on the product. For example, the user may receive the disposable bag  10  with the cavity  106  of the body  100  pre-filled with a malt shake. In this example, the user can open the first opening  140  with the straw  142  by puncturing the machine pressed line  146  or opening the seal  148  so that the user can insert the straw  142  to drink the malt shake. The user may then tear the disposable bag  10  along the tear line  150  to reveal the second opening  160  so that the user may spoon out more of the solid or frozen product with a spoon. The user may reseal the first opening  140  and the second opening  160  via the seals  148 ,  168  while the user moves around with the malt shake. After the user is finished with the malt shake, the user may seal the second opening  160  with the second seal  168  and may release air from the cavity  106  by squeezing the body  100  of the disposable bag  10  after the third seal  138  within the air release flap  130  is opened. The air from the cavity  106  may exit through the one-way valve  132  in the air release flap  130  to deflate the body  100  and may also cause the fragrance material exit along with the air. The user may reseal the air release flap  130  via the third seal  138  to prevent the disposable bag  10  from leaking discarded product. This would reduce the waste volume of the disposable bag  10  and prevent unnecessary odors. 
     Now referring to  FIG. 7A , the disposable bag  10  may have horizontal fold lines  170  that are substantially parallel to the edge  190  of the open end portion  110  and the sealed end portion  120 . The horizontal fold lines  170  may be made up of one or more individual horizontal fold lines. There may be one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, or nine individual horizontal fold lines that make up the horizontal fold lines  170 . The horizontal fold lines  170  may be spaced at substantially equally distance from one another. In a preferred embodiment, the horizontal fold lines  170  may be spaced a part from one another by two inches from the sealed end portion  120 . The individual horizontal fold lines  170  may make a body segment portion  108  of equal size. In some embodiments, the body segment portion  108  closest to the open end portion  110  is smaller than the other body segment portions  108 . 
     The disposable bag  10  may also have vertical fold lines  180  that are perpendicular to the edge  190  of the open end portion  110  and the sealed end portion  120 . The vertical fold lines  180  may increase the volume of the body  100 . In some embodiments, the vertical fold lines  180  may be on one or more sides of the body  100 . In the preferred embodiment, the vertical fold lines  180  may form an accordion shape on the one or more sides of the body  100 , as seen in  FIG. 7B . The vertical fold lines  180  may be made up of one or more individual vertical fold lines. There may be one, two, three, four, five, or six individual vertical fold lines that make up the vertical fold lines  180 . 
       FIGS. 8A to 8C  illustrate the preferred embodiment of folding the disposable bag  10 . The body  100  of the disposable bag  10  may be decompressed or flatten when the cavity  106  is empty.  FIG. 8A  shows the the body  100  of the disposable bag  10  with the lower surface  104  facing up in this embodiment. The air release flap  130 , shown by dashed lines, is on the upper surface  102  within the middle portion of the body  100 . In the preferred embodiment, the user may fold the sealed end portion  120  at a first horizontal fold line  170   a . Once, the sealed end portion  120  is pressed against the body  100 , the first horizontal fold line  170   a  becomes a new edge and may be folded at a second horizontal fold line  170   b .  FIG. 8B  shows the embodiment of the disposable bag  10  with the seal end portion  120  folded. The second horizontal  170   b , the new edge, may be folded at a third horizontal fold line  170   c . The edge of the open end portion  110  may be folded at the fourth horizontal fold line  170   d , where the lower surface  104  of body segment portion  108   e  closest to the open end portion  110  rest on top of the upper surface of the body segment portion  108   c  that may contain the air release flap  130 . In some embodiments, the edge  190  of the open end portion  110  or body segment portion  108   e  may be tucked under the air release flap  130  to hold the folded disposable bag in place, as best seen in  FIG. 8C . 
     In other embodiments, the air release flap  130  may be tucked into the second opening  160 , as seen best in  FIG. 8C . In some embodiments, the first seal  148  or the second seal  168  may seal with the third seal  138  located in the air release flap  130  to ensure that the bag does not become unfolded without the user&#39;s interaction. 
     Another example illustrating the disposable bag  10  storing food waste is described below. The user may be at a social event, such as a baseball game, where trash receptacles are not readily available. The user may receive the disposable bag  10  from the stadium with the logo of the home team and may carry the disposable bag  10  that is folded, which may be conveniently carried in the user&#39;s pocket. The user may decide to eat a food item that have a food waste byproduct, such as sunflower seeds. The user may unfold the disposable bag  10  by untucking the edge  190  of the open end portion  110  from the air release flap  130  or may unseal the first seal  148  or the second seal  168  from the third seal  138 . After the disposable bag  10  is unfolded, the user then may open the first seal  148  on the first opening  140  located at the edge  190  of the open end portion  110 . The user may inflate the body  100  of the disposable bag by blowing air into the first opening  148 . Once the body  100  of the disposable bag  10  is inflated, the user then tears the edge  190  of the end portion  110  from the body  100  along the tear line  150  to reveal the second opening  160 . The user may discard the torn edge  190  of the open end portion  110  into the cavity  106  of the body  100 . Now the user may place discarded seed shells directly into the disposable bag  10 . The cavity  106  of the disposable bag  10  may be coated with a water impenetrable and fragrance material to prevent leakage from and cover the smell of the discarded sunflower seed shells. Due to the small size of the disposable bag  10 , the user may maneuver the disposable bag  10  into a position in front of the user&#39;s mouth by holding the bag with the user&#39;s hand. This allows the user to avoid sunflower seed shells from being discarded on the ground. 
     Continuing with the above example, after the user is finished with the food product, the user then may seal the second seal  168  in the second opening  160 . The user may then unseal the air release flap  130  via the third seal  138  and release the air from the cavity  106  by pressing the button  134  located next to the air release flap  130 . The button  134  causes the one-way valve  132  to release air from the cavity  106  while the user squeezes the body  100  with the user&#39;s remaining fingers. The air from the one-way valve  132 , which may move through a filter to prevent moisture from exiting the disposable bag  10 , may be pushed into the fragrance compartment  139 . The air in the fragrance compartment  139  may cause the fragrance material to be expelled along with the air from the disposable bag  10 . After deflation of the body  100 , the disposable bag  10  may be folded or crumpled to minimize volume. The user may then discard the disposable bag  10  at a later time in a convenient trash receptacle. 
     This invention reduces the need for cleaning and/or reduces the time needed to clean an area that would traditionally contain waste or food waste. This invention also reduces the need for the user to litter or discard waste due to the lack of convenient trash receptacles. 
     In particular, with respect to the above description, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the present invention may include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation. The assembly and use of the present invention are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art.