US3770188A

US3770188A - Interlinked packaging bags

Info

Publication number: US3770188A
Application number: US00203201A
Authority: US
Inventors: R Norman
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1971-11-30
Filing date: 1971-11-30
Publication date: 1973-11-06
Anticipated expiration: 1990-11-06

Abstract

A group of serially aligned, open ended paper bags are arranged so that the bags can be dispensed to a location for packaging articles such as groceries and then sequentially detached from the group one at a time.

Description

Unite States Patent Norman Nov. 6, 1973 [541 INTERLINKED PACKAGING BAGS 2,542,245 2/1951 Gottesman 229 53 x [75] Inventor: Ricliard R. Norman, Palos Verdes FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Peninsula, Calif.

852,997 11/1960 Great Britain 229/69 [73] Assignee: Tony J. Bressickello, Gardena, Calif.

[22] Filed: Nov. 30, 1971 Primary ExaminerSamuel B. Rothberg Assistant ExaminerStephen P. Garbe [21] Appl' 203201 Att0rneyPastoriza & Kelly [52] U.S. Cl 229/53, 206/57 A, 229/69 [51] Int. Cl B65d 33/00 ABSTRACT [58] Field of Search 229/53, 69; A group of serially aligned open ended paper bags are 206/57 A, 56 AB arranged so that the bags can be dispensed to a location [561 ires:21 52521232022?1252221212? UNITED STATES PATENTS q y g p 2,413,649 12/1946 Overly 229/69 7 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures INTERLINKED PACKAGING BAGS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention generally relates'to bags for packaging articles and more specifically to a group of detachably interlinked paper bags for groceries.

Bundles of conventional bags used for packaging groceries must ordinarily be opened by hand and then placed in a storage slot or rack in random order and numbers for subsequent use by the cash register clerk. After groceries have been checked off by the cash register clerk they are ordinarily manually packed into the bags which are customarily kraft paper bags.

Attempts have been made to facilitate this job of mechanically opening paper bags at supermarket checkout stands by providing a blast of air into the bags from a jet spray nozzle. The bags are not coupled together and they are all set upright in a rack with their open ends generally aligned. See U.S. Pat. No. 3,262,249 to Finerow granted July 25, 1966. Because the gusseted closed ends are generally aligned and the open ends are likewise generally aligned, the bags become bulky and storage space becomes wasted.

In part to eliminate some of the problems associated with kraft paper bags it has been proposed to provide a series of interconnected plastic bags fabricated from a length of tubular plastic. The joined bags tend'to stick together because of the electro static charges collected on the plastic material. See U.S. Pat. No. 3,328,939 to Harris et al. granted July 4, 1967.

As shall be fully explained this invention provides a series of kraft paper bags that are interlinked and arranged in a manner so as to avoid a number of the shortcomings mentioned above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly stated this invention comprehends arranging and interconnecting a series of bags in a special manner to facilitate their being moved into position for use in packaging groceries or other articles of merchandise.

Briefly stated, the arrangement or system of bags includes a plurality of kraft paper type bags having open ends and closed ends and which are capable of being converted, one at a time, from flattened positions to expanded positions. The bags are serially aligned with their open ends positioned near the closed ends of adjacent bags so that alternate bags are oriented in opposite directions.

Interlinking means is arranged to releasably attach ends of consecutive bags.

The bags are of substantially equal size and arranged in a stack in a manner so that the stack height is constant at all points.

In one embodiment the interlinking means is characterized by one or more tear strips extending across the junctions of adjacent bags and the strips may be perforated to facilitate detachment of adjacent bags.

In accordance with the other embodiment the interlinking means is characterized by attachment tabs formed by and struck out from the bottom panels of the kraft paper bags, the tabs being bent into detachable contact with top margins of adjacent bags.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The numerous benefits and unique aspects of the present invention will be fully understood when the following detailed description is studied in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a stack of kraft paper bags interconnected in a manner in accordance with this invention, showing the uppermost bag partially inflated and being dispensed along a guide ramp;

FIG. 2 is a perspective, fragmentary view of one type of interlinking means, contemplated by one embodiment of this invention; and,

FIG. 3 is a perspective fragmentary view of a type of interlinking means contemplated by a second embodiment of this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings in detail and FIG. 1 in particular, a group 10 of kraft type paper bags is shown. The group 10 of bags is oriented in a vertical stack and for convenience are designated, from top to bottom, bag 8,, bag B bag B bag 8,, bag B etc. The bags are of identical size, are superimposed exactly and are detachably hitched together in zig-zag fashion in a manner to be more fully described.

In practice the group 10 of bags would be stored in a bag supply magazine or hopper located near a checkout stand. The magazine or hopper could be part of or associated with a bag dispenser and opening unit, such as the one illustrated in copending U.S. Pat. application, Se'r. No. 161,239 filed July 9, 1971 entitled AU- TOMATIC BAG PACKING APPARATUS FOR CHECK OUT STAND.

Each bag, referring to bag B for purposes of illustration, has an open or openable end 11 and a conventional gusseted or closed end constituted by bottom panel 12. A pair of flat, relatively large

opposed side panels

13 and 14 are joined with a pair of pleated, rela tively narrow opposed side panels 15. and 16.

The consecutive or adjacent bags are securely and releasably interconnected by wayof interlinking means shown in the form of a pair of laterally spaced

strips

20 and 21 which shall be described in more detail in conjunction with FIG. 2.

When bundles of conventional kraft paper bags are arranged in racks or storage spaces near check out stands the bag gusseted'ends or closed ends are aligned. Since the gusseted ends are of double-ply thickness and are flattened against a side panel when the bags are collapsed, the combined thicknesses of the closed ends are very bulkly. As a consequence storage space is not economically utilized.

This problem is avoided by this invention iinasmuch as alternate bags are arranged in opposite directions, i.e.; bags 8,, B and B are oriented with their open ends directed to the right whereas the intermediate or relatively alternate bags I3 and B are oriented with their open ends facing to the left. Therefore at any point in the group 10 of bags it will be found that the stack height is constant. The height H at one end is equivalent to the height H at the opposite end of the group 10 of bags. Storage space is thus conserved, the

bags are more neatly aligned and they can be stably stacked. Stacks of conventional bags in addition to being bulky, assume a general wedge shape so that eventually the uppermost bags tend to slide and eventually topple from the stack.

In order to explain the relationship and coaction of the bags to other components, a scroll shaped ramp is shown which facilitates movement of the bags one at a time from the stack to a predetermined location. The ramp 25 has a lower curled edge 26 and a guidance surface 27. schematically shown above the ramp 25 is a conventional inflation means 28 that includes an air nozzle 28 aimed generally towards end 11 of bag 8,. In practice the nozzle 28 would be oriented much farther down stream or away from the stack of bags.

Any suitable feeding means can be employed to aid in dispensing the bags one at a time from the stack to a bag inflation station, a bag loading station and a bag pick up station. These stations may all be at the same location, just two may be at the same location or all three may be at different locations. The important part of the feeding means is characterized by the special structural arrangement and interrelationship of the group 10 of bags. As the uppermost or outermost bag is dispensed and advanced to a new position it automatically, by virtue of the interlinking means, pulls the next consecutive bag to which it is detachably attached by the interlinking means to a new and partially advanced position. The feeding means may optionally include a positive advance mechanism such as one or more pinch rollers. V

. Referring now to FIG. 2 the bag B has an end section of bottom panel 12 which partially underlies and constitutes a corner with a section 36 of bottom panel 12. Side section 36 has a double ply or double wall thickness which is conventional for kraft paper bags. Bag B has an open end 38 and a pleated side panel 39 which are shown partially opened for illustration. An edge or margin 37 of the bottom panel 12 of bag B is aligned adjacent an edge or margin 40 of the open end 38 of bag B Margin 37 and margin 40 are, when bag B is being pulled away from bag B separated by a gap G.

The tear strip 21 that constitutes the interlinking means in this embodiment has an end portion 42 adhered or otherwise attached to bag margin 40 and an oppositely extending end portion 43 adhered to or otherwise securely attached to bag margin 37. An intermediate or central portion of tear strip 21 constitutes a,

flexible hinge 44 which is formed transversely with a plurality of slits or perforations 45. One tear strip of relatively extensive width or two or more tear strips of relatively narr6w width may be used to interconnect the bottom ends and open ends of consecutive bags. The perforations or slits 45 facilitate the effort of separating the bags from one another.

Another embodiment of the interlinking means is shown and described in connection with FIG. 3 where a rectangular recess is formed in the side section 36 of bottom panel 12. The underlying layer or ply 51 is exposed when a rectangular section from the overlying layer or ply is partially cut away and bent out of the plane of bottom panel 12 to constitute a tab 52. Tab 52 has a flap section 53 that is adhered or otherwise securely attached to the margin 40 of bag B A flexible hinge section 54 bridges across the gap G between bags B and B As in the case with tear strip 21 shown in FIG. 2 the hinge section 54 of tab 52 is formed transversely with a series of slits or perforations 55 to facilitate tear initiation and eventual detachment.

OPERATION Keeping the above construction in mind it can be understood how many of the previously described disadvantages of conventional packaging techniques are overcome or substantially eliminated by the present invention.

The interlinking means, either the tear strips 20 and 21 of the FIG. 2 embodiment or the tab 52 of the FIG. 3 embodiment, are coupled at locations of the bags so as to detachably interconnect and serially align the bags. This operation may be done mechanically or manually or both mechanically and manually.

The group of bags is set within a cartridge orv hopper for subsequent use in packaging articles such as groceries. As bag B is pulled away from the stack of bags it automatically, due to the interlinking means, pulls the next consecutive bag B at least slightly away from the stack so that bags B and B experience simultaneous motion.

At some predetermined downstream station bag B is stopped and after being inflated, is loaded with groceries and then totally physically separated from bag B either mechanically or manually. In either situation the tear strips 20 and 21 or the tabs 52 are ripped along the line of perforations after which bag B is prepared for being picked up.

From the forgoing it will be evident that the present invention has provided an arrangement of interlinked packaging bags in which all of the various advantages are fully realized.

What is claimed is:

1. Interlinked packaging bags for groceries and like articles, comprising:

a. a group of rectangularly shaped collapsed paper grocery bags with open ends and closed ends and fully closed side panels, the grocery bags being placed lengthwise in a stack with alternate grocery bags being oriented in opposite directions; and,

b. interlinking means arranged to serially align the grocery bags and releasably attach one set of adjacent ends of consecutive grocery bags, the interlinking means being a plurality of short and laterally spaced tear strips extending across the junctions of consecutive grocery bags and physically secured to just the marginal or corner sections of the grocery bags.

2. The structure according to claim 1, wherein;

the bags are of the same size and are relatively arranged in a manner so that the stack of bags is of constant height.

3. The structure according to claim 2, wherein;

the bags are kraft paper bags.

4. The structure according to claim 1, wherein;

an intermediate portion of the tear strips constitutes a flexible hinge formed transversely with perforations to facilitate separating consecutive bags.

5. The structure according to claim7 wherein;

the attachment tabs have portions constituting flexible hinges formed transversely with perforations to facilitate separating consecutive bags.

6. The structure according to claim 1 wherein;

the tear strips are constituted by marginal or corner sections that are bent out of their former positions and securely attached to consecutive grocery bags.

7. Inter-linked packaging bags comprising:

of consecutive bags, the interlinking means being characterized by attachment tabs struck out from the areas of double-ply thickness and bent to positions where they are securely attached to consecutive bags.

Claims

1. Interlinked packaging bags for groceries and like articles, comprising: a. a group of rectangularly shaped collapsed paper grocery bags with open ends and closed ends and fully closed side panels, the grocery bags being placed lengthwise in a stack with alternate grocery bags being oriented in opposite directions; and, b. interlinking means arranged to serially align the grocery bags and releasably attach one set of adjacent ends of consecutive grocery bags, the interlinking means being a plurality of short and laterally spaced tear strips extending across the junctions of consecutive grocery bags and physically secured to just the marginal or corner sections of the grocery bags.

2. The structure according to claim 1, wherein; the bags are of the same size and are relatively arranged in a manner so that the stack of bags is of constant height.

3. The structure according to claim 2, wherein; the bags are kraft paper bags.

4. The structure according to claim 1, wherein; an intermediate portion of the tear strips constitutes a flexible hinge formed transversely with perforations to facilitate separating consecutive bags.

5. The structure according to claim 7 wherein; the attachment tabs have portions constituting flexible hinges formed transversely with perforations to facilitate separating consecutive bags.

6. The structure according to claim 1 wherein; the tear strips are constituted by marginal or corner sections that are bent out of their former positions and securely attached to consecutive grocery bags.

7. Inter-linked packaging bags comprising: a. a group of collapsed kraft bags with open top ends and closed bottom ends constructed from panels with areas of double-ply thickness, the bags being placed in a stack with alternate bags being oriented in opposite directions; and, b. interlinking means arranged to serially align the bags and releasably attach one set of adjacent ends of consecutive bags, the interlinking means being characterized by attachment tabs struck out from the areas of double-ply thickness and bent to positions where they are securely attached to consecutive bags.