A method for producing a bag from a tube including transverse lines of perforations delimiting tabs of the future bag, a rear tab of a first bag being opposite a front tab of the second bag following the first. A first step involves separating the first and second bags; a second step involves separating a piece of waste remaining on one of the bags between the two tabs. The first and second steps are carried out between a first pair of separation cylinders and a second pair of cylinders, the piece of waste being clamped between the cylinders of the first pair during the first step in order to be held on the second bag, then clamped and torn off by the second pair during the second step.

The spout-equipped container includes a container and a spout. The spout includes a spout main body, an opening body accommodated in a cylinder of the spout main body, an activating body which moves the opening body, and a hermetically-sealing sheet which covers an inner opening which fronts an accommodating unit in the spout main body. The opening body is formed so as not to be get out of the spout main body, is formed so as to move toward the hermetically-sealing sheet, and has its center where a spout through hole is formed. The hermetically-sealing sheet is formed so as to be partially torn by the opening body to make the accommodating unit of the container and an outer opening of the spout main body communicate with outside via the spout through hole of the opening body, and is formed so that an accommodated substance is poured outside.

The spout-equipped container includes a container and a spout. The spout includes a spout main body, an opening body accommodated in a cylinder of the spout main body, an activating body which moves the opening body, and a hermetically-sealing sheet which covers an inner opening which fronts an accommodating unit in the spout main body. The opening body is formed so as not to be get out of the spout main body, is formed so as to move toward the hermetically-sealing sheet, and has its center where a spout through hole is formed. The hermetically-sealing sheet is formed so as to be partially torn by the opening body to make the accommodating unit of the container and an outer opening of the spout main body communicate with outside via the spout through hole of the opening body, and is formed so that an accommodated substance is poured outside.

The bag may include a draw tape that may be used to cinch closed the opening of the bag. The draw tape has at least one stretched elastomeric strip attached to the draw tape in an extended condition. The draw tape may be smaller in size than the bag sidewalls. The draw tape may include an elastic characteristic, such as patterned ribs. In one embodiment, the roll of bag is kept under tension to maintain the elastomeric strips in a stretched condition.

According to an apparatus for successively making the plastic bags, wherein the wastes 14 are formed in at least two areas adjacent to each other widthwise of the plastic film 1, and the apparatus can determine whether all of wastes 14 of each of the areas are discharged.

The apparatus comprises at least one partition plate 20 in a suction path 16. The suction path 16 is divided into at least two widthwise of the plastic film 1. The wastes 14 is guided to each of the divided paths 21A, 21B, 21C, 21D and is discharged. The wastes 14 is detected by an optical sensor when the wastes 14 is discharged to each of the divided paths.

An apparatus successively makes plastic bags each of which includes an end surface provided with a protrusion, without specially supplying a web of bottom gusset material. A first web of panel material is folded along a first folded line at a position adjacent to a side edge of the first web, while a second web of panel material is folded along a second folded line at a position adjacent to a corresponding side edge of the second web. A first folded portion is formed in the first web. There exists a distance between the side edge and the first folded line, which is larger than twice a distance between the corresponding side edge and the second folded line by a predetermined distance, after being folded. The end surface is formed by the first folded portion, the protrusion being formed by the predetermined distance.

An apparatus successively makes plastic bags each of which includes an end surface provided with a protrusion, without specially supplying a web of bottom gusset material. A first web of panel material is folded along a first folded line at a position adjacent to a side edge of the first web, while a second web of panel material is folded along a second folded line at a position adjacent to a corresponding side edge of the second web. A first folded portion is formed in the first web. There exists a distance between the side edge and the first folded line, which is larger than twice a distance between the corresponding side edge and the second folded line by a predetermined distance, after being folded. The end surface is formed by the first folded portion, the protrusion being formed by the predetermined distance.

A flexible side-gusseted package and methods of making the same are disclosed. The package has a central longitudinal axis, a front panel, a back panel, and a pair of gusseted side panels. The front panel is secured to the gusseted side panels along a pair of side seal lines. The back panel is secured to the gusseted side panels along a pair of side seal lines. Each of the seal lines includes a pair of end portions and an intermediate portion. The intermediate portion, e.g., a concave recessed portion, of each side seal line is located closer to the central longitudinal axis than the end portions of the side seal lines to provide a package which is somewhat necked-down at its middle, to facilitate grasping of the package by users.

A flexible side-gusseted package and methods of making the same are disclosed. The package has a central longitudinal axis, a front panel, a back panel, and a pair of gusseted side panels. The front panel is secured to the gusseted side panels along a pair of side seal lines. The back panel is secured to the gusseted side panels along a pair of side seal lines. Each of the seal lines includes a pair of end portions and an intermediate portion. The intermediate portion, e.g., a concave recessed portion, of each side seal line is located closer to the central longitudinal axis than the end portions of the side seal lines to provide a package which is somewhat necked-down at its middle, to facilitate grasping of the package by users.

The present invention is directed to a method forming a bottom-gusseted package, wherein each package includes an inwardly-extending, pleat-like gusset at the bottom of the package. To permit heat-sealing formation of each package, the sleeve from which each gusset is formed comprises a lamination of two differing polymeric materials, so that only an exterior surface of each sleeve exhibits the desired heat-sealing characteristics. To facilitate package formation, the sleeves from which the bottom gussets are formed are maintained in a temporarily closed or sealed configuration during package formation by providing a preferably frangible bond or seal at the edge of each sleeve. This result is preferably achieved by folding the laminate material, and temporarily sealing or joining an outer layer of the laminate material from which gusset is formed, while an inner layer is maintained in an unsealed condition.