Unfilled open side-gusset bag

Abstract

A bag has two face panels having upper and lower transversely extending end edges and longitudinally extending side edges between outer ends of the end edges, two side gussets each between a respective one of the side edges of one of the face panel and the respective side edge of the other face panel, and a base panel having a peripheral edge connected to the lower edges of the face panels and gussets. The panels and gussets form beveled or rounded corners at upper ends of the side edges. Respective corner welds at the corners each extend inward from the respective side edges while leaving the face panels unconnected and forming a filling opening between the corner welds.

Claims

1. A bag comprising: two face panels having upper and lower transversely extending end edges and longitudinally extending side edges between outer ends of the end edges; two side gussets each between a respective one of the side edges of one of the face panels and the respective side edge of the other face panel, the panels and gussets forming beveled or rounded corners at upper ends of the side edges; a base panel having a peripheral edge connected to lower edges of the face panels and gussets; and respective corner welds at the corners and each extending inward from the respective side edges over 50% to 90% of the width of the side gussets folded in half on themselves, the corner welds and each having a first leg extending along an edge of the respective corner and a second leg therebelow projecting transversely inward from the respective side edge while leaving the face panels unconnected and forming a filling opening between the corner welds.

2. The bag according to claim 1, wherein the side gussets extend to the open upper edges of the face panels and are connected there by the corner welds to the face panels.

3. The bag according to claim 1, wherein corner welds each have a first leg extending along an edge of the respective corner and a second leg therebelow projecting transversely inward from the respective side edge.

4. The bag according to claim 3, wherein the face panels are formed at the upper end with a carry handle cutout.

5. The bag according to claim 4, wherein the carry handle cutout is generally longitudinally below inner ends of the first legs and above inner ends of the second legs.

6. The bag according to claim 1, further comprising: a reclosable strip fastener extending transversely in one of the face panels.

7. The bag according to claim 1, wherein the reclosable strip fastener is below the corner welds.

8. The bag according to claim 1, wherein, in a flattened condition of the bag, the corner welds do not extend transversely inward from the respective side edges past the respective gussets.

9. The bag according to claim 1, wherein the corner welds secure together front panels to the gusset and fix the gussets in a folded-together condition, whereby each corner weld fixes together four layers or a film from which the bag is made.

10. The bag according to claim 1, wherein in a flattened condition of the bag the side gussets extend inward from the respective side edges by between 15% and 30% of a transverse width of the bag between the side edges thereof.

11. The bag according to claim 1, wherein the corners each have an S-shaped outer edge.

12. The bag according to claim 1 wherein the corner welds each extend longitudinally and transversely of the bag over 3 cm to 8 cm.

13. A bag comprising in a flattened condition: two face panels having upper and lower transversely extending end edges and longitudinally extending side edges between outer ends of the end edges and lying flatly against each other in at least a central region; two side gussets each folded and lying between a respective one of the side edges of one of the face panel and the respective side edge of the other face panel, the panels and gussets forming beveled or rounded corners at upper ends of the side edges; a base panel folded inward between the face panels and having a peripheral edge connected to the lower edges of the face panels and gussets; and respective corner welds at the corners and each extending inward from the respective edges over 50% to 90% of the width of the side gussets folded in half on themselves, the corner welds and each having a first leg extending along an edge of the respective corner and a second leg therebelow projecting transversely inward from the respective side edge while leaving the face panels unconnected and forming a filling opening between the corner welds, the corner welds fixing together the face panels and portions of the side gussets therebetween such that the side gussets cannot unfold at the corner welds.

14. The bag according to claim 13, wherein each of the welds secures the respective front panel to a respective half of the respective gusset.

15. The bag according to claim 13 wherein one of the legs of each corner weld extends along the respective beveled or rounded corner and the other of the legs extending straight and perpendicular from the respective side edge.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

(1) The above and other objects, features, and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of an upwardly open side-gusset bag according to the invention,

(3) FIG. 2A is a perspective partly schematic view showing the filling process of the initially unfilled, upwardly open side-gusset bag according to FIG. 1,

(4) FIG. 2B is a large-scale view like FIG. 2A showing the closure of the upwardly open side-gusset bag filled according to FIG. 2A,

(5) FIG. 3 is a perspective view from below of the filled upwardly open side-gusset bag, and

(6) FIG. 4 is a large-scale vertical a section through an upper end of the upwardly open side-gusset bag according to FIG. 3.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(7) FIG. 1 shows an unfilled, upwardly open side-gusset bag in a flattened state that is prefabricated and provided for subsequent filling, usually in a different operation. This prefabricated upwardly open side-gusset bag has two face panels 1 and two side gussets 2 that are between vertical side edges of the face panels 1 and that connect the face panels 1 to one another. A stand-up base panel 3 is formed by a bottom gusset that is initially between the face panels 1, the stand-up base 3 being joined at its outer edges by welds 4 (see FIG. 3) to the lower edges of the face panels 1 and of the side gussets 2.

(8) In the illustrated flat state, the side gussets 2 that are folded in between the face panels 1 extend along a transverse direction q of the upwardly open bag over 15% to 30% of a width b of the face panels along the transverse direction of the upwardly open bag 1.

(9) Open corners 6 that are rounded in an S-shape are provided on a open upper end 5 situated opposite the stand-up base and can be formed by punching or trimming. The side gussets 2 extend along a longitudinal direction l over the entire length or height of the face panels 1, so that the gussets 2 are also trimmed or punched together with the face panels 1 in the desired manner depending on the shape of the upper bag corners 6.

(10) In the region of the upper bag corners 6, the open upper end 5 of the bag 1 has V-shaped corner welds 7. The corner welds 7 each have a first leg 8 that extends along the edge of the respective S-shaped open corner 6. Starting from an upper edge of the upwardly open bag 9, a second leg 10 of each corner weld 7 is disposed beneath the respective first leg 8, the second leg 10 extending in the transverse direction q.

(11) An unwelded region where the two face panels 1 for forming a filling opening 11 (see FIG. 2A) are not connected to each other remains between the adjacent inner ends of the first legs 8 and the second legs 10 of the two corner welds 7.

(12) In the illustrated embodiment, the corner welds 7 do not extend inward past the side gussets 2 in the transverse direction q. The corner welds 7 can each extend over 50% to 90% of the width of the folded-in side gussets 2, for example. If the two face panels 1 are then moved away from one another for filling at the upper edge of the upwardly open bag 9, then the unwelded inner portions of the side gusset panels 2 can also spread open and form a relatively large filling opening 11 despite the corner welds 7.

(13) In order to prevent the side gussets 2 from gaping at the open upper end 5 of the bag 1 upon subsequent filling, the side gussets 2 are fixed in place there by connecting points 12 when folded in.

(14) In the illustrated embodiment, a carry handle 13 is formed by cutting or stamping and is between the inner ends of the first leg 8 on the one hand and inner the ends of the second leg 10 on the other hand relative to the longitudinal direction l. If, as explained below, simple transversely throughgoing welds 14 are formed at the level of the ends (see FIG. 3) of the legs 8 and 10, the carry handle 13 is located between the transverse welds 14 as seen in the longitudinal direction I.

(15) Finally, a reclosable strip fastener 15 is shown in FIG. 1 that is fastened by welds 16 to the front face panel 1 in FIG. 1. In this embodiment, the reclosable strip fastener 15 comprises a slider 17 with which interfitting fastener strip 18 can be separated and connected to form the reclosable strip fastener 15.

(16) Before initial opening, the slider 17 is located in an opening 19 of the associated face panel 1, it being possible for an adjoining portion of the face panel 1 to be torn out along a tear line 20. This tear line 20 can be formed by a perforation, punching, or more preferably by a laser.

(17) In this embodiment, the welds 16 of the reclosable strip fastener 15 extend to longitudinal welds 21 where the vertical side edges of the gussets 2 are connected to the vertical side edges of the face panels 1.

(18) FIG. 2A shows the initially unfilled, upwardly open side-gusset bag according to FIG. 1 during a filling operation, a hopper 22 being inserted in the filling opening 11. Since the corner welds 7, which are comparatively complicated in shape, are already present in the prefabricated upwardly open side-gusset bag, it can be closed after filling as shown in FIG. 2A in an inherently known manner by simple, straight transverse welds 14 (See FIG. 2B), the transverse welds 14 connecting the corner welds 7 to one another.

(19) In the illustrated embodiment, a transverse welds 14 are produced above and below the carry handle 13 in the upwardly open side-gusset bag. Since the transverse welds 14 extend to the corner welds 7, a closed frame is thus formed around the carry handle 13, thus ensuring that the filled upwardly open side-gusset bag is also tightly sealed. Conventional straight welding jaws 23 shown schematically in FIG. 2B are used to make these welds 14.

(20) Finally, FIG. 3 shows the filled upwardly open side-gusset bag in a perspective view from below.

(21) A preferred embodiment of the reclosable strip fastener 15 is shown in FIG. 4. It has a slider 17 that acts on the interfitting fastener strips 18. A respective connecting lugs 24 extend from the interfitting fastener strips 18, the rear connecting lug 24 being fastened to a separate film strip 25 inside the slider 17 and covering the interfitting fastener strips 18 starting from the associated face panel 1. Since the two connecting lugs 24 are initially connected to one another, a tight seal is ensured before initial opening even though, according to FIG. 1, the slider 17 is in an opening 19.

(22) Moreover, it can also be seen that the entire reclosable strip fastener 15, including the film strip 25, is below and at a spacing from the corner welds 7 and the lower transverse weld 14.