Multicompartment bag having resealable opposed openings

Abstract

The invention provides a multicompartment bag comprising a front sheet and a back sheet that are affixed to each other along adjacent peripheral edges, and that includes a line of separation in one of the sheets that defines first and second compartments disposed on opposite sides of the line of separation. Each compartment includes an interior space and an opening that is defined by a portion of the front sheet along the line of separation that is not affixed to the back sheet. Each compartment includes a resealable closure that is disposed adjacent to the openings of each compartment. The multicompartment bag is capable of being reversibly folded into a closed position in which the back sheet is folded to form an exterior surface that extends over and substantially covers the openings of the first and second compartments to thereby help prevent items in the compartments from accidentally spilling out of the compartments.

1 . A multicompartment bag comprising:
 a front sheet and a back sheet affixed to each other along adjacent peripheral edges, the front sheet having a line of separation defining first and second compartments disposed on opposite sides of the line of separation, wherein each compartment includes an interior space and an opening that is defined by a portion of the front sheet along the line of separation that is not affixed to the back sheet; and   resealable closures disposed adjacent the openings in each of said first and second compartments for reversibly closing the opening of each compartment.   
   
   
       2 . The multicompartment bag of  claim 1 , wherein the line of separation forms two inner edges in the front sheet that abut each other and extend along the line of separation to define the opening to each respective compartment. 
   
   
       3 . The multicompartment bag of  claim 2 , wherein the resealable closures are spaced inwardly from the inner edges. 
   
   
       4 . The multicompartment bag of  claim 2 , wherein the resealable closures are spaced inwardly from the inner edges by distance that is between about ½ to 1½ inches. 
   
   
       5 . The multicompartment bag of  claim 1 , wherein the opening of each compartment is disposed in a face-to-face relation with the opening of the other compartment when the bag is disposed in a relatively unfolded state. 
   
   
       6 . The multicompartment bag of  claim 1 , wherein the bag includes a top edge, a bottom edge, and opposite side edges extending longitudinally from said top edge to said bottom edge, and wherein the line of separation extends laterally between the opposite side edges. 
   
   
       7 . The multicompartment bag of  claim 6 , wherein the front and back sheets are formed of a heat sealable polymer film, and wherein the edges of each sheet are affixed to each other by fusing the inwardly facing surfaces of the front and back sheets to one another. 
   
   
       8 . The multicompartment bag of  claim 6 , wherein bag includes a gusset along the bottom edge. 
   
   
       9 . The multicompartment bag of  claim 1 , wherein the line of separation is disposed towards a middle region of the front sheet. 
   
   
       10 . The multicompartment bag of  claim 1 , wherein the front and rear sheets are affixed to each other with an adhesive, thermal bond, or ultrasonic fusion bond. 
   
   
       11 . The multicompartment bag of  claim 1 , wherein the resealable closures are composed of two strips of cooperating and interlocking sealing closures that are attached opposite each other to an inner surface of the front and back sheets. 
   
   
       12 . The multicompartment bag of  claim 11 , wherein one of the strips of the resealable closure has a male profile and the other strip has a female profile that is configured to receive the male profile. 
   
   
       13 . A dual compartment bag comprising:
 front and back sheets affixed to each other along adjacent peripheral edges;   a line of separation extending across a length or width of the front sheet and dividing the front sheet into two sections having abutting inner edges;   first and second compartments disposed on opposite sides of the line of separation and each including an interior space being defined by the two sections of the front sheet that are each attached to the back sheet on opposite sides of said separation;   openings to each compartment extending along at least a portion of the line of separation in which the front sheet is not affixed to the back sheet, wherein the openings of each compartment are disposed opposite each other; and   resealable closures disposed adjacent the openings in each of said first and second compartments for reversibly closing the opening of each compartment.   
   
   
       14 . The dual compartment bag of  claim 13 , wherein said line of separation divides the front sheet into two sections having approximately the same size. 
   
   
       15 . The dual compartment bag of  claim 13 , wherein said resealable closures comprise a pair of cooperating strips that are attached opposite each other to an inner surface of the front and back sheets. 
   
   
       16 . The dual compartment bag of  claim 15 , wherein said resealable closures comprise a press and seal zipper-type closure. 
   
   
       17 . The dual compartment bag of  claim 15 , wherein the front and back sheets each comprise a heat sealable film of generally rectangular configuration, each having a top edge, a bottom edge, and opposite side edges extending longitudinally from said top edge to said bottom edge, and including heat seals extending along said opposite side edges and at least one of said top and bottom edge. 
   
   
       18 . The dual compartment bag of  claim 17 , wherein the front and back sheets are formed from a single sheet of film that has been folded along one end so that the front and back sheets are oriented in a juxtaposed relation with each other, and wherein said folded end includes three folds to form a gusset. 
   
   
       19 . The dual compartment bag of  claim 17 , wherein the line of separation extends laterally between the opposite side edges and is substantially parallel to at least one of the top or bottom edges. 
   
   
       20 . The dual compartment bag of  claim 16 , wherein the line of separation is disposed approximately half-way between the top and bottom edges. 
   
   
       21 . The dual compartment bag of  claim 16 , wherein the first and second sheets are formed of a heat sealable polymer film. 
   
   
       22 . The dual compartment bag of  claim 13 , wherein resealable closures are spaced inwardly from said abutting inner edges. 
   
   
       23 . The dual compartment bag of  claim 13 , wherein the bag has a closed position in which the back sheet is folded or bent so that it extends over and substantially covers the openings of the first and second compartments, and is reconfigurable to an open position in which the first and second compartments are disposed in a side-by-side relation with the back sheet disposed in a folded or bent state therebetween. 
   
   
       24 . A multicompartment bag comprising:
 a front sheet and a continuous back sheet affixed to each other along adjacent peripheral edges, the front sheet having a line of separation defining first and second compartments disposed on opposite sides of the line of separation, wherein each compartment includes an interior space and an opening that is defined by a portion of the front sheet along the line of separation that is not affixed to the back sheet; and   resealable closures disposed adjacent the openings in each of said first and second compartments for reversibly closing the opening of each compartment, wherein the continuous back wall of bag is folded along the line of separation so that the first and second compartments are disposed directly opposite each other in a side-by-side relation and the back wall forms an exterior surface of the bag that extends over and substantially covers the openings of the first and second compartments.   
   
   
       25 . The multicompartment bag of  claim 24 , wherein the line of separation forms two abutting inner edges in the front sheet that extend along the line of separation to define the opening to each respective compartment, and wherein resealable closures are spaced inwardly from said abutting inner edges.