Flexible bag with dual-purpose detachable closures

Abstract

A flexible plastic bag having two sides, one sealed end, and one openable end. Molding strips consisting at least partly of laminated wire or other malleable material, are removably fixed parallel and adjacent to the edges of the openable end of the bag on the exterior surfaces of each side. Each molding strip extends across the entire width of the bag and each is fixed to the bag surface along its entire length thus forming a deformable reinforcing edge along the entire opening. Resultantly, the mouth of the bag can be shaped into an open position, and the open position will be retained until the molding strips are subsequently reshaped. The purposeful malleability of the bag edge allows its opening to be shaped into other specific configurations as well. Once the mouth of the bag is manipulated to the shape or degree of openness desired, the bag can be filled without undue obstruction or restriction, and the bag can also be passed over objects to encase them without initial frictional contact. Once the bag has been filled, or has fully encased its target object, the molding strips can be detached from the bag with a pulling motion to be used as flexible closure devices in a manner similar to commonly known “twist ties”. The molding strips may be individual elements adhesively attached to the surfaces of the bag, or they may be imbedded within, or part of, the bag structure and detachable by means of perforations along a tear line. The molding strips, if adhesively detachable, may include protruding tabs to aid in their disengagement from the bag. The bag body may be of clear plastic material to allow visibility of the contents within and may contain printing, labeling, or writeable exterior surfaces.

1 . A flexible bag comprising side walls, a sealed end, and an openable end whereby its openable end is reinforced by material elements consisting at least partly of malleable or deformable material and whereby said elements may be manipulated to retain the openable end of the bag in a purposefully shaped or fully open position and whereby said elements may also be subsequently detached from the bag to serve as its closure device.