Elastic trash bag and method of making the same

Abstract

A trash bag capable of being secured to a receptacle includes a trash bag body having a bag mouth, a hem formed proximate the mouth and a drawtape contained within the hem to close the bag. At least one elastic member, such as one or more elastic strands or bands, is adhesively attached to the drawtape and elastically secures the mouth to the receptacle. A method of making a trash bag includes adhesively attaching an elastic member to the trash bag body or drawtape proximate the bag mouth while the elastic member is in a stretched state. When released, the elastic member returns to an unstretched state and the bag gathers along the elastic member thereby providing a stretchable region adjacent the mouth.

1 . A trash bag for a receptacle having an opening to receive the bag, the trash bag comprising: 
 a trash bag body having an open bag mouth;    a hem formed proximate said bag mouth and having at least one opening in said hem;    a drawtape contained within said hem, said drawtape being accessible at the opening of said hem opening to allow said drawtape to be pulled therethrough relative to said trash bag body so as to close said bag mouth; and    at least one elongated elastic member adhesively attached directly to a generally flat surface of said drawtape so that essentially the entire length of said elastic member is attached to said drawtape, said elastic member having an unstretched state and a stretched state, said elastic member being adhesively attached to said generally flat surface of said drawtape while in the stretched state.    
   
   
       2 . The trash bag of  claim 1 , wherein said elastic member comprises at least one elongated elastic strand.  
   
   
       3 . The trash bag of  claim 1 , wherein said elastic member comprises at least one elongated elastic band.  
   
   
       4 . The trash bag of  claim 1 , wherein said elastic member is disposed generally parallel to said drawtape along the entire length of said elastic member.  
   
   
       5 . The trash bag of  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive is applied to said at least one elongated elastic member in a manner selected from the group consisting of a spray, a continuous band, a continuous swirl, an omega swirl, a sinusoidal swirl and multiple dots.  
   
   
       6 . A method of making a trash bag for a receptacle having an opening to receive the bag, the method comprising: 
 providing a trash bag body having an open bag mouth;    stretching an elongated elastic member;    applying an adhesive to the elongated elastic member; and    attaching the elongated elastic member directly to a surface of the trash bag body proximate the bag mouth with the adhesive while the elastic member is in a stretched state, the elastic member forming a stretchable region in the trash bag body when released to an unstretched state.    
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the elastic member comprises one of an elastic strand and an elastic band.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising the step of applying the adhesive in a manner selected from the group consisting of a spray, a continuous band, a continuous swirl, an omega swirl, a sinusoidal swirl and multiple dots.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising the step of applying the adhesive in a continuous manner so as to adhere the elastic member to the trash bag body essentially along the entire length of the elastic member.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising the step of applying the adhesive in a discrete manner so as to adhere the elastic member to the trash bag body at spaced apart locations along the length of the elastic member.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising the step of attaching the elastic member to the trash bag body to form a ring that encircles the bag mouth.  
   
   
       12 . A method of making a trash bag for a receptacle having an opening to receive the bag, the method comprising: 
 providing a trash bag body having an open bag mouth, a hem formed proximate the bag mouth having at least one opening, and one of a drawtape and a drawstring contained within the hem;    stretching an elongated elastic member;    applying an adhesive to the elongated elastic member; and    attaching the elongated elastic member directly to a surface of the trash bag body proximate the bag mouth with the adhesive while the elastic member is in the stretched state, the elastic member forming a stretchable region in the trash bag body when released to an unstretched state.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the elastic member comprises one of an elastic strand and an elastic band.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising the step of applying the adhesive in a manner selected from the group consisting of a spray, a continuous band, a continuous swirl, an omega swirl, a sinusoidal swirl and multiple dots.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising the step of applying the adhesive in a continuous manner so as to adhere the elastic member to the trash bag body essentially along the entire length of the elastic member.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising the step of applying the adhesive in a discrete manner so as to adhere the elastic member to the trash bag body at spaced apart locations along the length of the elastic member.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising the step of attaching the elastic member to the trash bag body so as to be within the hem.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the hem includes two channels, the one of the drawtape and drawstring positioned within one of the channels and the elastic member attached to the trash bag body within the other channel.  
   
   
       19 . A method of making a trash bag for a receptacle having an opening to receive the bag, the method comprising: 
 providing a trash bag body having an open bag mouth, a hem formed proximate the bag mouth having at least one opening, and a drawtape contained within the hem;    stretching an elongated elastic member;    applying an adhesive to the elongated elastic member; and    attaching the elongated elastic member directly to a generally flat surface of the drawtape with the adhesive while the elastic member is in the stretched state, the elastic member forming a stretchable region in the drawtape when released to an unstretched state.    
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the elastic member comprises one of an elastic strand and an elastic band.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising the step of applying the adhesive in a manner selected from the group consisting of a spray, a continuous band, a continuous swirl, an omega swirl, a sinusoidal swirl and multiple dots.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising the step of applying the adhesive in a continuous manner so as to adhere the elastic member to the drawtape essentially along the entire length of the elastic member.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising the step of applying the adhesive in a discrete manner so as to adhere the elastic member to the drawtape at spaced apart locations along the length of the elastic member.