The present invention provides a sheet material container being made of a sheet material and including a body portion and a bottom portion that is to be disposed on a placement surface, and the sheet material including a plurality of film layers. A body portion sheet that constitutes the body portion includes a bonding portion where peripheral edge portions of the sheet materials are bonded. In a bottom surface sheet that constitutes the bottom portion, a non-adhesive region is provided in the plurality of film layers. The non-adhesive region forms a bottom filler-filled portion. The bottom filler-filled portion extends annularly around a non-filled portion, and includes at least three protruding leg portions that are to be placed on the placement surface so as to allow the container to stand by itself. The protruding leg portions protrude toward the placement surface past other portions in the bottom filler-filled portion due a leg forming portion.

The present invention provides a sheet material container being made of a sheet material and including a body portion and a bottom portion that is to be disposed on a placement surface, and the sheet material including a plurality of film layers. A body portion sheet that constitutes the body portion includes a bonding portion where peripheral edge portions of the sheet materials are bonded. In a bottom surface sheet that constitutes the bottom portion, a non-adhesive region is provided in the plurality of film layers. The non-adhesive region forms a bottom filler-filled portion. The bottom filler-filled portion extends annularly around a non-filled portion, and includes at least three protruding leg portions that are to be placed on the placement surface so as to allow the container to stand by itself. The protruding leg portions protrude toward the placement surface past other portions in the bottom filler-filled portion due a leg forming portion.

A collapsible container made up of a bottom portion and a side wall that define an interior, wherein the bottom portion and the side wall are made of a foldable material, a top portion with an opening that allows access to the interior, and a rim member connectable to the top portion and sized and shaped to extend around the perimeter of the opening. The collapsible container is positionable in an open configuration where the rim member in connected to the top portion in a manner than maintains the opening in an open position. The collapsible container is also positionable in a collapsed configuration where at least a portion of the rim member is disconnected from the top portion. In one version, when in the collapsed configuration, the collapsible container takes on a substantially flat shape having a longest dimension less than the longest dimension of the opening when the collapsible container is in the open configuration. In one version, the rim member which may be in the form of a collapsible hoop is contained within the collapsed container when in the collapsed configuration.

A collapsible container made up of a bottom portion and a side wall that define an interior, wherein the bottom portion and the side wall are made of a foldable material, a top portion with an opening that allows access to the interior, and a rim member connectable to the top portion and sized and shaped to extend around the perimeter of the opening. The collapsible container is positionable in an open configuration where the rim member in connected to the top portion in a manner than maintains the opening in an open position. The collapsible container is also positionable in a collapsed configuration where at least a portion of the rim member is disconnected from the top portion. In one version, when in the collapsed configuration, the collapsible container takes on a substantially flat shape having a longest dimension less than the longest dimension of the opening when the collapsible container is in the open configuration. In one version, the rim member which may be in the form of a collapsible hoop is contained within the collapsed container when in the collapsed configuration.

A method of making a storage bag comprising the following steps performed in any order: (a) forming a composite tube having an inner surface comprising a higher melting polymer, an outer surface comprising a lower melting polymer, two ends, and a diameter; (b) flattening the tube in a direction perpendicular to the diameter; (c) forming a joint at one of the ends at a temperature between respective melting points of the higher melting polymer and the lower melting polymer; (d) providing a composite sheet having a first side comprising a higher melting polymer and a second side comprising a lower melting polymer; and (e) disposing the composite sheet over the joint such that the first side comprising a lower melting polymer engages the joint and forming a lap seam over the joint at a temperature between respective melting points of the higher melting polymer and the lower melting polymer, and a storage bag made by such method.

A method of forming reinforced packages. The method can comprise forming an attached web by adhering a blank to a web of material and moving the attached web in a downstream direction through at least a tube forming assembly and a carton forming assembly. The method also can comprise at least partially forming a tube by folding at least a portion of the web of material as the attached web moves through the tube forming assembly, forming a reinforcement sleeve by folding at least a portion of the blank so that the reinforcement sleeve extends at least partially around the tube as the attached web moves through the carton forming assembly, and forming a reinforced package comprising the reinforcement sleeve and a tube portion by separating the tube portion from a remainder of the tube, the reinforcement sleeve being adhered to the tube portion.

A method of forming reinforced packages. The method can comprise forming an attached web by adhering a blank to a web of material and moving the attached web in a downstream direction through at least a tube forming assembly and a carton forming assembly. The method also can comprise at least partially forming a tube by folding at least a portion of the web of material as the attached web moves through the tube forming assembly, forming a reinforcement sleeve by folding at least a portion of the blank so that the reinforcement sleeve extends at least partially around the tube as the attached web moves through the carton forming assembly, and forming a reinforced package comprising the reinforcement sleeve and a tube portion by separating the tube portion from a remainder of the tube, the reinforcement sleeve being adhered to the tube portion.

A container takes on the form of a laundry hamper or basket while static or stationary. Upon bringing front and back panels of the container into closer proximity for transport, such as by drawing together their respective handles, or drawing one of the handles towards the other, the container changes configuration, or shape, to that of a tote bag. Upon releasing at least one of the front and back panels of the container from being drawn towards the other, such as by releasing at least one of their respective handles, the container automatically reverts back to the form of a laundry hamper or basket. The use of substantially rigid front and back panels, coupled with side panels that have resilient upper regions, permit the side panels to take on a spout-like configuration when the container is in its tote bag configuration, and to return to a planar configuration when the container is in its laundry hamper or basket configuration.

A container takes on the form of a laundry hamper or basket while static or stationary. Upon bringing front and back panels of the container into closer proximity for transport, such as by drawing together their respective handles, or drawing one of the handles towards the other, the container changes configuration, or shape, to that of a tote bag. Upon releasing at least one of the front and back panels of the container from being drawn towards the other, such as by releasing at least one of their respective handles, the container automatically reverts back to the form of a laundry hamper or basket. The use of substantially rigid front and back panels, coupled with side panels that have resilient upper regions, permit the side panels to take on a spout-like configuration when the container is in its tote bag configuration, and to return to a planar configuration when the container is in its laundry hamper or basket configuration.

A woven laminated plastic bag having features that further prevent leakage of contents out of the bag, or infestation of organisms into the contents of the bag is provided. In various aspects the bag can be fabricated from woven polypropylene and/or polyethylene layer which can be laminated with a film layer, can form a pinch bottom bag, and can have one or both sides include graphics and/or printing. The bag can also provide a top end and/or a bottom end either or both of which provide a discrete area which may contain discrete graphics and/or printing. The bag can also include a tape covered easy open feature that facilitates removal of tightly adhered sealing tape.