Disaster pack and method for making same

Abstract

A disaster pack comprising a pillow, a blanket, and a mattress pad compressed and disposed within a first sealed bag comprised of a cavity, and a seal at one end of the cavity is disclosed. A packaged product comprising a compressible dry good compressed and disposed within a sealed bag comprised of a cavity, and a seal at one end of the cavity, wherein the compressed volume of the compressible dry good disposed within the sealed bag is less than about twenty percent of the free state volume of the compressible dry good is also disclosed. A method for making the packaged product comprises the steps of placing the compressible dry good within a bag; placing the compressible dry good disposed within the bag on a platen; compressing the compressible dry good within the bag; sealing the open end of the bag to form a sealed bag; and removing the dry good within the sealed bag from the platen.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A disaster pack comprising a pillow and a blanket compressed and disposed within a first sealed bag comprised of a cavity, and a seal at one end of said cavity.  
     
     
         2 . The disaster pack as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the compressed volume of said pillow and said blanket disposed within said first sealed bag is less than about twenty percent of the sum of the free state volumes of said pillow and said blanket.  
     
     
         3 . The disaster pack as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the compressed volume of said pillow and said blanket disposed within said first sealed bag is less than about twelve percent of the sum of the free state volumes of said pillow and said blanket.  
     
     
         4 . The disaster pack as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the compressed volume of said pillow and said blanket disposed within said first sealed bag is less than about eight percent of the sum of the free state volumes of said pillow and said blanket.  
     
     
         5 . The disaster pack as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said seal is a heat seal.  
     
     
         6 . The disaster pack as recited in  claim 5 , wherein said first sealed bag further comprises a notch adjacent to said heat seal.  
     
     
         7 . The disaster pack as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said seal is a compression seal.  
     
     
         8 . The disaster pack as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said first sealed bag is comprised of nylon and low density polyethylene.  
     
     
         9 . The disaster pack as recited in  claim 1  further comprising a mattress pad disposed within a second sealed bag, wherein said first sealed bag and said second sealed bag are disposed within a packaging bag.  
     
     
         10 . The disaster pack as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the compressed volume of said pillow, said blanket, and said mattress pad is less than about twenty percent of the sum of the free state volumes of said pillow, said blanket, and said mattress pad.  
     
     
         11 . The disaster pack as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a label applied to an outer surface of said sealed bag.  
     
     
         12 . A disaster pack comprising a pillow, a blanket, and a mattress pad compressed and disposed within a first sealed bag comprised of a first cavity, and a first seal at one end of said first cavity, wherein: 
 a) said pillow and said blanket are disposed within a second sealed bag comprised of a second cavity, and a second seal at one end of said second cavity;    b) said mattress pad is disposed within a third sealed bag comprised of a third cavity, and a third seal at one end of said third cavity; and    c) said second sealed bag and said third sealed bag are disposed within said first sealed bag.    
     
     
         13 . The disaster pack as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the compressed volume of said pillow, said blanket, and said mattress pad disposed within said first sealed bag is less than about twenty percent of the sum of the free state volumes of said pillow, said blanket, and said mattress pad.  
     
     
         14 . The disaster pack as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the compressed volume of said pillow, said blanket, and said mattress pad disposed within said first sealed bag is less than about twelve percent of the sum of the free state volumes of said pillow, said blanket, and said mattress pad.  
     
     
         15 . The disaster pack as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the compressed volume of said pillow, said blanket, and said mattress pad disposed within said first sealed bag is less than about eight percent of the sum of the free state volumes of said pillow, said blanket, and said mattress pad.  
     
     
         16 . The disaster pack as recited in  claim 12 , wherein at least one of said first seal, said second seal, and said third seal are heat seals.  
     
     
         17 . The disaster pack as recited in  claim 16 , wherein said first sealed bag further comprises a notch adjacent to said first heat seal.  
     
     
         18 . The disaster pack as recited in  claim 12 , wherein at least one of said first seal, said second seal, and said third seal is a compression seal.  
     
     
         19 . The disaster pack as recited in  claim 12 , wherein said first sealed bag, said second sealed bag, and said third sealed bag are comprised of nylon and low density polyethylene.  
     
     
         20 . The disaster pack as recited in  claim 12 , wherein said mattress pad is comprised of at least about sixty weight percent polymer foam.  
     
     
         21 . The disaster pack as recited in  claim 12 , wherein said pillow is comprised of at least about 50 weight percent polyester fibers.  
     
     
         22 . The disaster pack as recited in  claim 12 , wherein said blanket comprises a fabric of fibers selected from the group consisting of wool, silk, linen, polyester, nylon, acetate, poly(ethylene terephthalate), polytetrafluoroethylene, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         23 . The disaster pack as recited in  claim 12 , further comprising a label applied to an outer surface of said sealed bag.  
     
     
         24 . A packaged product comprising a first compressible dry good compressed and disposed within a sealed bag comprised of a cavity, and a seal at one end of said cavity, wherein the compressed volume of said first compressible dry good disposed within said sealed bag is less than about eighty percent of the free state volume of said compressible dry good.  
     
     
         25 . The package as recited in  claim 24 , wherein the compressed volume of said first compressible dry good disposed within said sealed bag is less than about forty percent of the free state volume of said compressible dry good.  
     
     
         26 . The package as recited in  claim 25 , wherein the compressed volume of said first compressible dry good disposed within said sealed bag is less than about twenty percent of the free state volume of said compressible dry good.  
     
     
         27 . The package as recited in  claim 24 , wherein said first compressible dry good is a pillow.  
     
     
         28 . The package as recited in  claim 24 , wherein said first compressible dry good is a blanket.  
     
     
         29 . The package as recited in  claim 24 , wherein said first compressible dry good is a foam pad.  
     
     
         30 . The package as recited in  claim 24 , wherein said first compressible dry good is a chair.  
     
     
         31 . The package as recited in  claim 24  further comprising a second compressible dry good disposed within said sealed bag, wherein said first compressible dry good is a pillow, and said second compressible dry good is a blanket.  
     
     
         32 . The package as recited in  claim 24 , wherein said seal is a heat seal.  
     
     
         33 . The package as recited in  claim 32 , wherein said sealed bag further comprises a notch adjacent to said heat seal.  
     
     
         34 . The package as recited in  claim 24 , wherein said seal is a compression seal.  
     
     
         35 . The package as recited in  claim 24 , wherein said sealed bag is comprised of nylon and low density polyethylene.  
     
     
         36 . The package as recited in  claim 24 , further comprising a label applied to an outer surface of said sealed bag.  
     
     
         37 . A method of preparing a packaged product comprising a first compressible dry good compressed and disposed within a sealable bag comprising a cavity and an open end, comprising the steps of: 
 a) placing said first compressible dry good within said sealable bag;    b) placing said first compressible dry good disposed within said sealable bag on a platen;    c) compressing said first compressible dry good within said sealable bag;    d) sealing said open end of said sealable bag to form a sealed bag; and    e) removing said first compressible dry good within said sealed bag from said platen.    
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , further comprising the step of first placing said first compressible dry good within a packaging bag and evacuating air from said packaging bag and said object before said placing said first compressible dry good within said sealable bag.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein after said step of compressing said compressible dry good within said bag, the compressed volume of said dry good is less than about eighty percent of the free volume of said dry good.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein after said step of compressing said compressible dry good within said bag, the compressed volume of said dry good is less than about forty percent of the free volume of said dry good.  
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein said step of sealing said open end of said sealable bag to form a sealed bag is performed by a hot press.  
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 37 , further comprising the step of applying a label to a surface of said sealed bag.  
     
     
         43 . A method of preparing a disaster pack comprising a pillow, a blanket, and a mattress pad compressed and disposed within a package comprising the steps of: 
 a) placing said pillow and said blanket within a first sealable bag comprising a first cavity and a first open end;    b) placing said pillow and said blanket disposed within said first sealable bag on a platen;    c) compressing said pillow and said blanket within said first sealable bag;    d) sealing said first open end of said first sealable bag to form a first sealed bag;    e) removing said pillow and said blanket within said first sealed bag from said platen;    f) placing said mattress pad within a second sealable bag comprising a second cavity and a second open end;    g) placing said mattress pad disposed within said second sealable bag on said platen;    h) compressing said mattress pad within said second sealable bag;    i) sealing said second open end of said second sealable bag to form a second sealed bag;    j) removing said mattress pad within said second sealed bag from said platen; and    k) placing said first sealed bag and said second sealed bag within a first packaging bag comprising a third cavity and a third open end.    
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 43 , further comprising the step of placing said mattress pad within a second packaging bag and evacuating air from said second packaging bag and said mattress pad before said placing said mattress pad within said second packaging bag within said second sealable bag.  
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein after said step of placing said first sealed bag and said second sealed bag within a first packaging bag, the compressed volume of said pillow, said blanket, and said mattress pad disposed within said first packaging bag is less than about twenty percent of the sum of the free state volumes of said pillow, said blanket, and said mattress pad.  
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein said steps of sealing said first open end of said first bag to form a first sealed bag, and sealing said second open end of said second bag to form a second sealed bag, are performed by at least one hot press.  
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 43 , further comprising the step of applying a label to a surface of at least one of said first sealable bag, said second sealable bag, and said first packaging bag.