Reclosable multi-compartment bag with an integrated pouch

Abstract

A multi compartment reclosable plastic bag including four or more panels sealed together to form at least two bags with each bag having a resealable opening. One of the bags may be smaller than the other(s). The plastic bags further include lips that are adjacent to the resealable openings. The bags incorporate closure elements for sealing and unsealing of the resealable openings. The smaller bag may include a lip that folds toward the space between the smaller bag and an adjacent bag to form a cuff portion adapted to secure contents inserted between the smaller bag and the adjacent bag.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A multi-compartment bag, comprising: 
 A. a first resealable bag comprising: 
 i. a first panel,  
 ii. a second panel that is connected to the first panel along at least portions of the bottom edges and side edges of the first and second panels to define a first opening to a first container,  
 iii. a first closure element that is positioned near the first opening, comprising: 
 a. a first female portion that is disposed on a first inner surface of the first panel and  
 b. a first male portion that is: 
 (1) complementary to the first female portion and  
 (2) disposed on a second inner surface of the second panel; and  
 
 
   B. a second resealable bag that is connected to the first resealable bag, comprising: 
 i. a third panel,  
 ii. a fourth panel connected to the third panel along at least portions of the bottom edges and side edges of the first and second panels to form a second opening to a second container, and  
 iii. a second closure element positioned near the second opening, comprising: 
 a. a second female portion that is disposed on a third inner surface of the third panel and  
 b. a second male portion that is: 
 (1) complementary to the second female portion and  
 (2) disposed on a fourth inner surface of the fourth panel;  
 in which the second resealable bag is connected to the first resealable bag along at least portions of the bottom edges and side edges of the first and second resealable bags to form a third opening to a third container between the first resealable bag and the second resealable bag.  
 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The multi-compartment bag of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 A. a first lip portion on the first panel extending proximally from the first female portion; and    B. a second lip portion on the second panel extending proximally from the first male portion.    
     
     
         3 . The multi-compartment bag of  claim 2 , in which the first lip portion extends proximally farther from the first female portion than the second lip portion extends proximally from the first male portion.  
     
     
         4 . The multi-compartment bag of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 A. a third lip portion on the third panel extending proximally from the second female portion; and    B. a fourth lip portion on the fourth panel extending proximally from the second male portion.    
     
     
         5 . The multi-compartment bag of  claim 4 , in which the third lip portion extends proximally farther from the second female portion than the fourth lip portion extends proximally from the second male portion.  
     
     
         6 . The multi-compartment bag of  claim 5 , in which the third lip portion is folded into the space between the second panel and the third panel to form a cuff.  
     
     
         7 . The multi-compartment bag of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of first perforations in the first panel.  
     
     
         8 . The multi-compartment bag of  claim 7 , further comprising a plurality of second perforations in the second panel.  
     
     
         9 . The multi-compartment bag of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of second perforations in the second panel.  
     
     
         10 . The multi-compartment bag of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of third perforations in the third panel.  
     
     
         11 . The multi-compartment bag of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of fourth perforations in the fourth panel.  
     
     
         12 . The multi-compartment bag of  claim 11 , further comprising a plurality of third perforations in the third panel.  
     
     
         13 . The multi-compartment bag of  claim 1 , in which the second closure element is positioned closer to the bottom edge of the third panel than the first closure element.  
     
     
         14 . The multi-compartment bag of  claim 2 , in which the second closure element is positioned closer to the bottom edge of the third panel than the first closure element.  
     
     
         15 . The multi-compartment bag of  claim 14 , further comprising an aperture in the first and second lip portions to form a handle.  
     
     
         16 . The multi-compartment bag of  claim 1 , in which at least a portion of the first panel is tinted with a first color.  
     
     
         17 . The multi-compartment bag of  claim 16 , in which the at least a portion of second panel is tinted with a second color different from the first color.  
     
     
         18 . The multi-compartment bag of  claim 1 , in which at least a portion of the second panel is tinted with a second color.  
     
     
         19 . The multi-compartment bag of  claim 1 , in which at least a portion of the third panel is tinted with a third color.  
     
     
         20 . The multi-compartment bag of  claim 1 , in which at least a portion of the fourth panel is tinted with a fourth color.  
     
     
         21 . The multi-compartment bag of  claim 20 , in which at least a portion of the third panel is tinted with a third color that is different from the fourth color.  
     
     
         22 . The multi-compartment bag of  claim 1 , in which at least a portion of the first male portion is tinted with a first color.  
     
     
         23 . The multi-compartment bag of  claim 22 , in which at least a portion of the first female portion is tinted with a second color different from the first color.  
     
     
         24 . The multi-compartment bag of  claim 1 , in which at least a portion of the first female portion is tinted with a second color.  
     
     
         25 . The multi-compartment bag of  claim 1 , in which at least a portion of the second male portion is tinted with a third color.  
     
     
         26 . The multi-compartment bag of  claim 1 , in which at least a portion of the second female portion is tinted with a fourth color.  
     
     
         27 . The multi-compartment bag of  claim 26 , in which at least a portion of the second male portion is tinted with a third color that is different from the fourth color.  
     
     
         28 . The multi-compartment bag of  claim 1 , in which the second resealable bag is connected to the first resealable bag along at least portions of their respective bottom edges using a wide heat seam.  
     
     
         29 . The multi-compartment bag of  claim 28 , in which the wide heat seam is positioned at a location from about one quarter of an inch to one half of an inch from the bottom edges of the first and second resealable bags.  
     
     
         30 . The multi-compartment bag of  claim 28 , in which the wide heat seam is further applied along at least portions of the respective side edges of the first and second resealable bags.  
     
     
         31 . A multi-compartment bag, comprising: 
 A. a first means for containing objects;    B. a first means for releasably sealing the first containing means;    C. a second means for containing objects that is connected to the first containing means;    D. a second means for releasably sealing the second containing means; and    E. a third means for containing objects between the first containing means and the second containing means.    
     
     
         32 . The multi-compartment bag of  claim 31 , further comprising a means for retaining objects inside the third containing means.  
     
     
         33 . A method of making a multi-compartment bag, comprising the steps of: 
 A. extruding a tubular film;    B. integrating into the tubular film a first closure element, comprising: 
 i. a first male closure profile, and  
 ii. a first female closure profile that is complementary to the first male closure profile,  
   C. integrating into the tubular film a second closure element, comprising: 
 i. a second male closure profile, and  
 ii. a second female closure profile that is complementary to the second male closure profile;  
   D. flattening the tubular film to define a first bag opening edge and a second bag opening edge such that: 
 i. the first male closure profile is positioned adjacent the first female closure profile and  
 ii. the second male closure profile is positioned adjacent the second female closure profile;  
   E. mating the first male closure profile to the first female closure profile;    F. mating the second male closure profile to the second female closure profile;    G. cutting the tubular film along a first line that extends longitudinally at a position laterally distant from the first closure element;    H. cutting the tubular film along a second line that extends longitudinally at a position laterally distant from the second closure element;    I. forming a folded tubular film by folding the tubular film along a third line that extends in a longitudinal direction at a position between the first closure element and the second closure element;    J. sealing the folded tubular film along at least a portion of a fourth line that extends in the longitudinal direction at a position between the third line and the second closure element; and    K. forming the multi-compartment bag by: 
 i. cutting and sealing the folded tubular film along a fifth line that extends from the first bag opening edge to the second bag opening edge and  
 ii. cutting and sealing the folded tubular film along a sixth line that: 
 a. is spaced longitudinally from the fifth line and  
 b. extends from the first bag opening edge to the second bag opening edge.