Shrink bag with non-shrink header

Abstract

A heat shrinkable bag having a non-shrink header for containing a product. The bag includes first and second side walls formed from heat shrinkable material joined together to form a body portion having an opening for access into an interior chamber having an inner surface to receive and contain the product. A header is attached to the inner surface of the body portion and extends outwardly from the opening in the body portion. The header is substantially formed from non-shrinkable film material that prevents distortion of the header during manufacture of the bag.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A heat shrinkable bag for containing a product comprising: 
 first and second side walls formed from heat shrinkable material and joined together to form a body portion having an opening for access into an interior chamber having an inner surface to receive and contain the product; and    a header attached to the body portion that extends outwardly from the opening in the body portion, wherein the header is substantially formed from non-shrinkable film material that prevents distortion of the header during manufacture of the bag.    
     
     
         2 . The heat shrinkable bag of  claim 1  wherein the header is attached to the inner surface of the interior chamber and wherein a portion of the header extends down into the interior chamber of the body portion.  
     
     
         3 . The heat shrinkable bag of  claim 2  wherein the header is attached to the inner surface of the body portion using a thin longitudinal heat seal.  
     
     
         4 . The heat shrinkable bag of  claim 1  wherein the first and second side walls are formed from a single sheet of heat shrinkable polyolefin film that is folded over upon itself to form a fold at one end and in which edges of the first and second side walls are heat sealed to each other to form the body portion.  
     
     
         5 . The heat shrinkable bag of  claim 1  wherein the heat shrinkable material used to form the body portion is formed from biaxially oriented shrink polyolefins.  
     
     
         6 . The heat shrinkable bag of  claim 1  wherein the header is formed from a non-shrinkable polyethylene.  
     
     
         7 . The heat shrinkable bag of  claim 1  wherein the header has a thickness of between 1.25 and 3.0 mils.  
     
     
         8 . The heat shrinkable bag of  claim 1  wherein the header includes wicket holes.  
     
     
         9 . The heat shrinkable bag of  claim 1  wherein the heat shrinkable material of the side walls and the non-shrinkable film material have slip characteristics that promote a non-blocking interface between the header and the side walls, thereby promoting ease of separation between the header and the side walls when opening the bag for product insertion.  
     
     
         10 . The heat shrinkable bag of  claim 1  wherein the header further comprises a slit path and is made from a material that when slit, will only propagate a tear along the slit path.  
     
     
         11 . A heat shrinkable bag for containing a product comprising: first and second side walls formed from a single sheet of heat shrinkable polyolefin film that is folded over upon itself to form a fold at one end and in which edges of the first and second side walls are heat sealed to each other to form a body portion having an opening for access into an interior chamber having an inner surface to receive and contain the product; and 
 a header attached to the inner surface of the body portion along a thin longitudinal heat seal that extends outwardly from the opening in the body portion, wherein the header is substantially formed from non-shrink material that prevents distortion of the header during manufacture of the bag.    
     
     
         12 . The heat shrinkable bag of  claim 11  wherein the heat shrinkable material used to form the body portion is biaxially oriented shrink polyolefins .  
     
     
         13 . The heat shrinkable bag of  claim 11  wherein the header is formed from polyethylenes.  
     
     
         14 . The heat shrinkable bag of  claim 11  wherein the header has a thickness of between 1.25 and 3.0 mils.  
     
     
         15 . The heat shrinkable bag of  claim 11  wherein the header includes wicket holes.  
     
     
         16 . A method for producing a heat shrinkable bag for containing a product comprising the steps of: 
 folding a single sheet of heat shrinkable polyolefin film over upon itself to form first and second side walls, wherein the second side wall has a lip extending above the top edge of the first side wall;    attaching a header to the lip along a thin longitudinal heat seal such that the header extends outwardly from the side walls, wherein the header is substantially formed from non-shrink material that prevents distortion of the header during manufacture of the bag; and    applying heat and pressure to seal two edges of the side walls to form a body portion having an opening for access into an interior chamber to receive and contain the product.