Patch handle bottom valve bag

Abstract

A patch handle bottom valve bag is formed from a tubular length of plastics material and is provided with a reinforcing patch, of a width less than 50% the width of the bag, adjacent the upper edge of the bag. The patch is heat sealed to one panel of the bag by a pair of linear heat seals and a handle opening is pieced through the patch and the underlying panels of the bag. The bag includes a heat seal which extends transversely of the bag, spaced from the upper edge thereof, this heat seal also extending across the patch adjacent the lower edge thereof. The bottom of the bag is formed in a conventional manner into a block bottom with a valve sleeve inserted and secured therein. The provision of the heat sealed reinforcing patch provides a stronger bag, one which uses less material, and one which will have fewer manufacturing problems when compared to existing reinforced bags.

1 . A method of forming a plastic bag having a reinforced handle area comprising the steps of: 
 providing an indefinite length of tubular bag material in a flattened state on a roll for dispensing such material therefrom;    feeding said material into forming apparatus from said roll and, within such apparatus:    providing a plurality of patches of plastic material of a width less than one half the width of said length of material;    for each bag to be formed, positioning one of said patches centrally of the width of said material;    heat sealing said patch to the material;    piercing said patch and underlying opposing panels of said length of tubular material along a line to define a handle opening;    effecting a heat seal transverse to said length of material, and extending across said patch, to seal together said opposing panels of said material;    simultaneously severing said material along a line of severance spaced from said transverse heat seal to create an unfinished bag section having an upper portion between said transverse heat seal and an upper edge created at said line of severance, a body portion below said transverse heat seal, and an open bottom portion at the end opposite said upper portion, said patch being located in said upper portion; and    forming said open bottom portion into a closed bottom portion having a filling valve therein    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said patch is heat sealed to said material by a pair of spaced apart elongated heat seals parallel to said transverse heat seal, said handle opening being created between said pair of heat seals.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said closed bottom portion is formed by folding bottom panel portions, sealing such bottom panel portions together, and creating said filling valve in said folded and sealed bottom panel portions.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein said closed bottom portion is formed by applying adhesive to said panels close to the bottom edge of said body portion, scoring said panels, folding said panels to create a plurality of flaps, inserting a valve sleeve from one side edge of said body portion between adjacent ones of said flaps, and overlapping said flaps and said sleeve in contact with said adhesive to close and form said bottom portion, with said sleeve providing access to the interior of said bag as said filling valve.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein said sleeve is formed from low density polyethylene, linear low density polyethylene, or high density polyethylene.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said material is formed from low density polyethylene or linear low density polyethylene, and said patch is formed from low density polyethylene, linear low density polyethylene, or high density polyethylene.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , including the step of adhering a reinforcing patch formed from low density polyethylene, linear low density polyethylene, or high density polyethylene to the exterior surface of said closed bottom portion.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein said sleeve is formed from low density polyethylene, linear low density polyethylene, or high density polyethylene.  
     
     
         9 . A plastic bag for carrying bulk material comprising: 
 a body portion defined by a length of tubular plastic material and exhibiting opposed rectilinear panels;    a reinforcing patch of a plastic material, having a width less than one half the width of said material, heat sealed to one of said panels between adjacent a transverse upper edge of said panels;    a heat seal extending transversely of said panels to seal said panels together, said heat seal being spaced from said transverse upper edge of said panels and extending across said patch adjacent a lower edge thereof;    a handle opening pierced through said patch and the panels underlying said patch; and    a closed bottom portion including a filling valve therein.    
     
     
         10 . The bag of  claim 9  wherein said patch is heat sealed to said one panel by a pair of elongated spaced apart heat seals parallel to said transverse heat seal, said handle opening being located between said pair of heat seals.  
     
     
         11 . The bag of  claim 9 , wherein said material is formed from low density polyethylene or linear low density polyethylene, and said patch is formed from low density polyethylene, linear low density polyethylene, or high density polyethylene.  
     
     
         12 . The bag of  claim 9 , wherein said closed bottom portion includes a plurality of folded flaps adhered to each other with a sleeve inserted between opposing flaps to provide access to the interior of said bag as said filling valve.  
     
     
         13 . The bag of  claim 12 , including a reinforcing patch of plastic material adhered to the exterior surface of said bottom portion.  
     
     
         14 . The bag of  claim 13 , wherein said reinforcing patch is formed from low density polyethylene, linear low density polyethylene, or high density polyethylene.