An bag with a top, a bottom and sides, wherein at least one side is convertible to a washable diaper changing surface. The diaper changing surface includes a flap that is movable from a closed state to an open state providing a portion of the diaper changing surface, and in the closed state sequesters soiled surfaces and items to prevent contamination of the remainder of the bag. The bag includes a number of pockets, sleeves and other cavities having visual indicators responsive to pocket contents, that indicate at a glance whether the pocket contains an item, or is empty.

A cat-repelling trash bag includes a flexible body having a deformably resilient inner layer, an outer layer selectively spaced from the deformably resilient inner layer, and a deformable cavity situated between the deformably resilient inner layer and the outer layer. A cat-repellant agent is dynamically located within the cavity. A plurality of divider walls are seated inside the cavity when the bag is at a non-tensioned state. Each of the divider walls being engaged with the deformably resilient inner layer and the outer layer. Advantageously, when an internal force is exerted against an interior of the body, the deformably resilient inner layer is stretched outwardly towards the outer layer. When the deformably resilient inner layer is stretched outwardly towards the outer layer, the divider walls are selectively and partially penetrated exterior of the outer layer such that the cat-repelling agent is released exterior of the cavity.

An inflatable pouch includes a bladder formed from an inflatable web and an outer skin formed from a film. The bladder includes a bladder pouch that includes a bottom portion at a folded edge of the inflatable web, front and back portions on either side of the folded edge, and sides where the front and back portions are sealed to each other. The outer skin includes an outer skin pouch that includes a bottom portion at a folded edge of the film, front and back portions on either side of the folded edge, and sides where the front and back portions are attached to each other. The bladder is attached to the outer skin at a tack area such that the sides of the bladder pouch and the outer skin pouch are not directly attached to the sides of the outer skin pouch.

Bag holding devices are presented including: a base having an inclined housing portion and a raised planar portion; a spring-loaded clamping element disposed along the raised planar portion and pivotally coupled with the planar portion; and a retractable reel disposed within the inclined housing portion. In some embodiments, devices further include: a mating groove disposed along an outer edge of the inclined housing portion; and a bowl having a mating portion that mates with the mating groove. In some embodiments, devices further include: a mating groove disposed along an outer edge of the inclined housing portion; and an accessory having a mating portion that mates with the mating groove, where in the accessory is any of: a novelty item, a promotional item, and a message plaque.

Bag holding devices are presented including: a base having an inclined housing portion and a raised planar portion; a spring-loaded clamping element disposed along the raised planar portion and pivotally coupled with the planar portion; and a retractable reel disposed within the inclined housing portion. In some embodiments, devices further include: a mating groove disposed along an outer edge of the inclined housing portion; and a bowl having a mating portion that mates with the mating groove. In some embodiments, devices further include: a mating groove disposed along an outer edge of the inclined housing portion; and an accessory having a mating portion that mates with the mating groove, where in the accessory is any of: a novelty item, a promotional item, and a message plaque.

In some embodiments, methods and systems are provided that facilitate the opening of a mouth of a plastic bag when removing the plastic bag from a plastic product bag dispenser. The plastic product bag dispenser includes a frame including a spindle configured to hold and permit dispensing of a roll of plastic produce bags, a bag separator coupled to the frame configured to permit separation of a leading plastic produce bag from an adjacent plastic produce bag along the line of weakness, and a bag opening facilitator including a frictional element having a higher coefficient of friction relative to surfaces of the front and rear sidewalls of the plastic produce bag than portions of the bag separator adjacent the bag opening facilitator. The frictional element of the bag opening facilitator is configured to retain in place a portion of the rear sidewall proximate the openable mouth while permitting a portion of the front sidewall proximate the openable mouth to move relative to the retained in place portion of the rear sidewall to open the mouth of the plastic produce bag.

The invention provides devices and methods for self-administered noninvasive retrieval of biological materials of the uterus and/or cervix. The cervical device comprises a receptacle with a variable volume receptacle cavity, a controller configured to change the volume of the receptacle cavity, a surface for collection of biological materials, and a flexible pouch for generation of suction to facilitate efficient retrieval of biological materials. The biological materials retrieved include various biomarkers of diseases and disorders of reproduction, are directly isolated from a site of pathology, and are not metabolized or diluted. Information generated by analyzing these biological materials permits early diagnosis and prognosis assessments of disease and disorders of the female reproductive organs, irregularities of pregnancy, anomalies of the fetus in utero, and microbial infections.

Packages having raised portions that provide improvements in displaying graphics, such as images and branding.

A single serve, fillable condiment packet for use by an end user to selectively retain and then dispense a desired substance. The single serve condiment packet includes an elongated packet body that has opposing resealable ends, a permanently sealed top edge, and a permanently sealed bottom edge. In one embodiment, each end of the packet body is defined by a conventional zip lock style closure which is individually operative to be opened by pulling apart the elements of the closure and sealed by pressing together the elements of the closure. The top edge is heat sealed and includes a tear notch adjacent to each end, positioned to allow a user to easily open the packet body at a location adjacent to the respective end.

A folded bag comprising a front side, a rear side, and left and right sides connecting the front and rear sides, each side having a top edge and a bottom edge; a plurality of left simple gussets and a plurality of right simple gussets formed in each of the left and right bag sides, respectively, wherein each simple gusset includes first and second outwardly-extending wings formed by respective first and second outwardly-extending folds and separated by an inwardly-extending fold; and a bottom edge seal subsuming all of the bottom edges such that the simple gussets are restrained from unfolding at the bottom edge seal and are unrestrained from unfolding along the top edges of the front, rear, and left and right sides. One or more of the simple gussets may be converted to a compound gusset by additional longitudinal folding, thus reducing further the folded width of the bag.