US3414032A - Shopping bags - Google Patents

Description

A.JORTIKKA 3,414,032

SHOPPING BAGS Filed March 5, 1967 United States Patent SHOPPING BAGS Annikki Jortikka, Murtokatu 3 B62,

Jarvenpaa, Finland Filed Mar. 3, 1967, Ser. No. 620,420

'Claims priority, application Finland, Oct. 5, 1966, 2,612/66; Nov. 24, 1966, 3,110/66 3 Claims. (Cl. 150--1.7)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to an improvement in a shopping bag made of plastic film, and comprising plastic straps which are fastened to the film by welding. According to the invention a canal is formed around the mouth of the bag for accommodating said straps, the plastic film constituting the canal having holes cut therein to expose said straps for the purpose of grasping the bag in use.

Shopping bags made of thin plastic film in the form of a tube are nowadays in general use. These have been made so that one end of the plastic tube has been closed by welding, while straps have been formed in one way or another at the other end. In a well-known bag, handles are formed so that both ends of a piece of tubular plastic film have first been fastened by welding, whereafter one or more pieces have been cut out of one end, whereat a part of the Welding joint becomes simultaneously cut, so that one or more projecting parts, closed at the outer end by the welding joint and forming straps, remain in this part of the bag. Such straps, formed of the plastic film itself, are not, however, durable enough. Moreover, the bag looks unpleasant because of the flabby straps. Furthermore, putting goods into the bag is difficult, as the mouth of the bag lacks any support.

The purpose of the present invention is to obviate the disadvantages mentioned above and to provide a shopping bag which looks more pleasant and the straps of which are more durable than those of the known bags. The straps may also act as means supporting the mouth of the bag.

According to the present invention, there is provided a shopping bag made of plastic film, .and comprising plastic straps which are fastened to the film by welding, there being a canal formed around the mouth of the bag for accommodating said straps, the plastic film constituting the canal having holes cut therein to expose said straps for the purpose of grasping the bag in use.

The straps of this shopping bag resist heavy loads. This is caused by the fact that the weight of the loaded bag is not only directed to the welded spots, but it is also divided evenly along the mouth of the bag, because of the friction between the strap and the canal Wall. The straps, hidden inside the canal, stiffen the mouth and give a pleasant look to the bag.

In one embodiment of the invention, the straps extend from one edge of the mouth to the other and they are fastened to the plastic film by the same welding joints which close the side edges of the bag. The mouth of the bag can be easily opened for putting goods into the bag. When the uncovered parts of the straps are grasped and the bag is lifted, the mouth of the bag is partly puckered up into a regular shape, giving a pleasant look to the bag. The puckering up can be facilitated by preparing the straps of smooth plastic or smoothing them with wax, for instance, so that the friction between the strap and the canal wall is reduced. No additional measures are necessary for fastening the straps to the plastic film, as the straps have been fastened by the same welding joints which close the side edges of the bag.

3,414,032 Patented! Dec. 3, 1968 It is appropriate that the straps, at least on the side, are made of wavelike plastic ribbon and that they are placed into their canals with the wavelike sides directed towards each other, so that the canal walls become locked between the waves at the Welding joint. In a bag of this type the welding joint is absolutely durable at the straps. The wave profiles give, because of their shape, additional strength to the joint.

The plastic film and the straps are of the same plastic material, so that an intimate joint is formed between these at the side joint of the bag. In order to prevent the edges of the plastic ribbon straps from cutting the canal Wall, the edges of the straps are rounded.

The invention is described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a plastic shopping bag, when flattened down,

FIG. 2 is a section, on enlarged scale, of part of the shopping bag, taken along the line II--II in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 corresponds to FIG. 1 but shows the shopping bag in the carrying position, when loaded with goods.

The shopping bag shown in the drawing can be simply prepared of tubular plastic film 1, with folds on both edges. The plastic fil-m may, for instance, consist of polyethylene or polyvinylchloride and be from 0.05 to 0.10 mm. in thickness.

When the bag is prepared, holes 3 are punched in the edge of the uniform tube 1. The bottom of the fold 2, situated in the same edges, is thereby cut out. The fold 2 constitutes canals 4 around the mouth of the bag. Uniform plastic ribbons 5 are brought into the canals 4, the plastic ribbons 5 being wavelike in cross section on one side, the wavelike sides being directed towards each other. The tube 1 is cut off at fixed points and the places of crosscut are fastened by welding, along the joints 6, which form the side edges of the bag. At the same time the plastic ribbons is cut and welded into the side edges 6 of the bag. Finally, the canals 4 are closed by means of welding joints 7. In some cases, however, the canals 4 can be left open. All these steps can be made automatic, so that only a minimum amount of work is necessary for the manufacture of the bags.

The plastic ribbons 5 are made of the same material as the plastic film 1, for instance, of polyethylene or polyvinylchloride. The breadth of the plastic ribbons 5 may be from 10 to 20 mm., the thickness at the peaks of the waves 0.20 mm. and at the bottoms of the .Waves 0.10 mm. For the sake of clarity, the plastic ribbons 5 are presented in an exaggerated way in FIG. 25

FIG. 3 shows the shape of the loaded bag, when carried.

The different embodiments of the invention can, of course, be varied. Both surfaces of: the plastics ribbons 5 can thus be wavelike. It is, however, advisable that only the surfaces which are directed towards each other, are made wavelike.

I claim:

1. A bag comprising a bag body of plastic material having opposite confronting walls which are joined at their lateral edges and bottom and define an open month, each wall including a folded portion at said mouth defining a canal extending coextensive with said month, said walls having aligned cut outs in said folded portions, a plastic ribbon loosely fitted in each folded portion and extending the entire length thereof, said ribbons being exposed in said cut outs to form a handle for the bag, and welded joints at said lateral edges respectively joining the walls and folded portions one to the other and the ribbons to the walls of said folded portions; said ribbons having facing surfaces which are of wavelike form, the walls of the folded portion being welded between the 3 4 wave-like surfaces by said welded joints at said lateral 2,457,422 12/1948 Warner 1501.7 edges. 2,608,227 8/1952 Witt l50 -1.7 2. A bag as claimed in claim 1 wherein said bag body 3,255,951 6/1966 Hung Kay 229-52 and ribbons are constituted of the same plastic material.

3. A bag as claimed in claim 2 wherein said ribbons 5 FOREIGN PATENTS have edges which are rounded. 204.392 5/1966 Sweden. 734,800 5/1966 Canada. References Cited 1,054,510 1/ 1967 Great Britain.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,029,853 4/1962 Plazze 10 DONALD F. NORTON, Plzmary Eaammer. 1,815,106 7/1931 Jostes 150- 1,7 ROBERT PESHOCK, Assistant Examiner.

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