Patent ID: 7490451

Claim:
A method of making a block bottom pillow top bag, comprising the following steps: (a) forming a web of bag making material into a tube having a length that defines a lengthwise direction and sealing a longitudinal seam of said tube, said longitudinal seam extending in said lengthwise direction; (b) joining respective confronting portions of said tube along a transverse direction transverse to said lengthwise direction to form a first transverse zone of web joinder having a length approximating one half of a perimeter of said tube; (c) forming mutually opposing first and second gussets in said tube, said first and second gussets being separated from each other in said transverse direction by a minimum distance at a predetermined distance from said first transverse zone of web joinder, said distance of gusset separation increasing from said minimum distance in the directions toward and away from said first transverse zone of web joinder; (d) placing a first amount of product in a first portion of an interior volume of said tube disposed above said first transverse zone of web joinder, said first amount of product not reaching an elevation where said first and second gussets are separated by said minimum distance; (e) joining confronting portions of said tube along said transverse direction to form a second transverse zone of web joinder that fixes portions of said first and second gussets that are separated by said minimum distance, wherein said second transverse zone of web joinder hermetically seals said first portion of said interior volume of said tube; (f) cutting said web along a first transverse cut line located below said first transverse zone of web joinder; and (g) cutting said web along a second transverse cut line located above said second transverse zone of web joinder, said second transverse cut line intersecting said portions of said first and second gussets that are separated by said minimum distance.