Bag and method of making the same

Abstract

A bag includes a main body formed from a first sheet of material foldable to form front and rear panels, a pair of side panels, a bottom panel, and an interior space of the bag defined by the front, rear, side and bottom panels. The sheet of material includes a reinforcement section and at least one layering section for creating a two material design. The bag may also include a pair of handles formed from second and third sheets of material wherein engagement sections of the handles are fixedly attached to the reinforcement section of the bag. Stitching may be used to increase the strength and look of the bag.

1 . A bag, comprising:
 a main body formed from a first sheet of material foldable to form front and rear panels, a pair of side panels, a bottom panel, and an interior space of the bag defined by the front, rear, side and bottom panels, the sheet of material including a reinforcement section and at least one layering section for creating a two material design,
 the reinforcement section including a first reinforcement sheet portion contiguous with the top of the front, rear, and side panels and a second reinforcement sheet portion contiguous with the first reinforcement sheet portion such that the first reinforcement sheet portion is folded over the second reinforcement sheet portion into the interior space of the bag, 
 the layering section including a fold portion contiguous on a top side with the second reinforcement sheet portion in which the top side of the first fold sheet portion is folded up and onto at least a portion of the second reinforcement sheet portion in the interior space of the bag and in which a bottom side of the first fold sheet portion is folded down such that the remainder of the front, rear, and side panels extend downward forming the remainder of the interior space of the bag; 
   a first handle being formed from a second sheet of material having a grip section and first and second engagement sections, the grip section of the second sheet of material being generally rectangular in shape and having sides that are substantially lengthier than the ends and the first and second engagement sections extending from the ends of the grip section and being wider than the grip section;
 the grip section formed by folding two side portions inward and over a center portion of the grip section and then folding the grip section again along a line substantially down the center of the grip section, 
 the engagement sections including a pair of flaps and a central portion and wherein the engagement sections are each formed by folding the pair of flaps at least partially over one another and the central portion; and 
   wherein the engagement sections of the first handle are each fixedly attached to the reinforcement section of the front panel of the bag.   
   
   
       2 . The bag of  claim 1 , wherein the engagement sections of the first handle are generally rectangular in shape when the pair of flaps are folded at least partially over one another and the central portion. 
   
   
       3 . The bag of  claim 1 , wherein the engagement sections are attached to the reinforcement section of the bag via stitching. 
   
   
       4 . The bag of  claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement section further comprises a support member. 
   
   
       5 . The bag of  claim 4 , wherein the support member is of a cardboard material. 
   
   
       6 . The bag of  claim 5 , wherein the engagement sections of the first handle and the reinforcement section of the bag, including the support member, are attached via stitching. 
   
   
       7 . The bag of  claim 1 , wherein the first handle further comprises a handle support member at least partially overlapping the grip section and the engagement sections. 
   
   
       8 . The bag of  claim 7 , wherein the handle support member comprises two separate sections, a first of the two separate sections of the handle support member overlapping at least a portion of the grip section and a first of the engagement sections and a second of the two separate sections of the handle support member overlapping at least a portion of the grip section and a second of the engagement sections. 
   
   
       9 . The bag of  claim 1 , wherein the fold portion of the layering section when folded is stitched to at least a portion of the reinforcement section. 
   
   
       10 . The bag of  claim 9 , wherein the stitching through the layering section and the reinforcement section also passes through at least a portion of a support member in the reinforcement section. 
   
   
       11 . The bag of  claim 1 , further comprising a second handle being formed from a third sheet of material having a grip section and first and second engagement sections, the grip section of the third sheet of material being generally rectangular in shape and having sides that are substantially lengthier than the ends and the first and second engagement sections extending from the ends of the grip section and being wider than the grip section;
 the grip section formed by folding two side portions inward and over a center portion of the grip section and then folding the grip section again along a line substantially down the center of the grip section,   the engagement sections including a pair of flaps and a central portion and wherein the engagement sections are each formed by folding the pair of flaps at least partially over one another and the central portion; and   wherein the engagement sections of the second handle are each fixedly attached to the reinforcement section of the rear panel of the bag.   
   
   
       12 . The bag of  claim 11 , wherein each of the engagement sections of the first and second handles extends substantially towards the bottom of the bag when attached to the main body of the bag. 
   
   
       13 . The bag of  claim 1 , wherein the bag is formed from paper. 
   
   
       14 . The bag of  claim 1 , wherein the bag is formed of a paper-like material. 
   
   
       15 . A method of forming a bag, comprising the steps:
 providing a first sheet of material to form a main body of the bag;   folding the first sheet to form front and rear panels, a pair of side panels, a bottom panel, and an interior space of the bag defined by the front, rear, side and bottom panels;   folding a first reinforcement sheet portion contiguous with the top of the front, rear, and side panels of the first sheet of material over a second reinforcement sheet portion and into the interior space of the bag to form a reinforcement section on the front and rear panels of the bag,   providing a support member in between the first reinforcement sheet portion and the second reinforcement sheet portion;   folding a fold portion of a layering section of the first sheet of material;   attaching a first handle to the reinforcement section on the front panel of the bag; and   attaching a second handle to the reinforcement section on the rear panel of the bag.   
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the step of folding the fold portion of the layering section further comprises:
 folding a top side of the fold portion up and onto at least a portion of the second reinforcement sheet portion in the interior space of the bag; and   folding a bottom side of the fold portion down such that the remainder of the front, rear, and side panels extend downward forming the remainder of the interior space of the bag.   
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first and second handles are formed from a second and third sheet of material,
 each of the first and second handles having a grip section and first and second engagement sections, the grip section of the second sheet of material being generally rectangular in shape and having sides that are substantially lengthier than the ends and the first and second engagement sections extending from the ends of the grip section and being wider than the grip section;   the grip section formed by folding two side portions inward and over a center portion of the grip section and then folding the grip section again along a line substantially down the center of the grip section,   the engagement sections including a pair of flaps and a central portion and wherein the engagement sections are each formed by folding the pair of flaps at least partially over one another and the central portion; and   wherein the engagement sections of the first handle are each fixedly attached to the reinforcement section of the front panel of the bag.   
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the layering section is adjacent the reinforcement section of the bag. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the layering section is separated from the reinforcement section of the bag.