Enhanced Plastic Net Bag

Abstract

An enhanced plastic net bag is provided and is configured to be used for the commercialization of food products. The bag has a longitudinal axis and at least one end. The bag includes a tubular mesh body fabricated at least partially of plastic material; and at least one laminar strip having at least one end. A closure is formed by an enveloping association between the at least one end of the tubular mesh body and the at least one end of the laminar strip by laying the laminar strip over the tubular mesh body and folding both the laminar strip and the tubular mesh body. The laminar strip is heat sealed to the tubular mesh body to form at least one heat weld wherein the at least one heat weld is transverse to the longitudinal axis. The at least one heat weld comprises a fused mass comprising at least two layers of the laminar strip and at least two layers of the tubular mesh body.

1 . An enhanced plastic net bag configured to be used for the commercialization of food products, the bag having a longitudinal axis and at least one end, the bag comprising:
 a tubular mesh body fabricated at least partially of plastic material; and   at least one laminar strip having at least one end, wherein a closure is formed by an enveloping association between the at least one end of the tubular mesh body and the at least one end of the laminar strip by laying the laminar strip over the tubular mesh body, folding both the laminar strip and the tubular mesh body, and heat sealing the laminar strip to the tubular mesh body to form at least one heat weld wherein the at least one heat weld is transverse to the longitudinal axis, the at least one heat weld comprises a fused mass comprising at least two layers of the laminar strip and at least two layers of the tubular mesh body.   
   
   
       2 . An enhanced plastic net bag according to  claim 1 , wherein the plastic material of the tubular mesh body is a netted element including at least one of a woven mesh, an extruded mesh, and a similar mesh. 
   
   
       3 . An enhanced plastic net bag according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one laminar strip is fabricated from a plastic material. 
   
   
       4 . An enhanced plastic net bag according to  claim 1  wherein the laminar strip has a strip width, and further wherein the heat weld is at least one of a continuous line that extends along the strip width and a discontinuous line including sections that extend along the strip width. 
   
   
       5 . An enhanced plastic net bag according to  claim 1 , wherein the closure has an exterior and an interior, the laminar strip is positioned on the exterior of the closure and the tubular mesh element is positioned on the interior of the closure. 
   
   
       6 . An enhanced plastic net bag according to  claim 1 , wherein the laminar strip has a strip width, and the heat weld has a weld length, wherein the weld length comprises the strip width. 
   
   
       7 . An enhanced plastic net bag according to  claim 6 , wherein the weld length is between about 30 mm. and about 200 mm. 
   
   
       8 . An enhanced plastic net bag according to  claim 6 , wherein the weld length is between about 40 mm. and about 70 mm. 
   
   
       9 . An enhanced plastic net bag according to  claim 6 , wherein the heat weld has a width between about 5 mm. and about 30 mm. 
   
   
       10 . An enhanced plastic net bag according to  claim 6 , wherein the heat weld has a width between about 10 mm. and about 15 mm. 
   
   
       11 . An enhanced plastic net bag according to  claim 1 , wherein the food products comprise at least one of fruit and vegetables, and wherein the heat weld has a strength configured to withstand the weight of the food products in the bag. 
   
   
       12 . An enhanced plastic net bag according to  claim 1 , wherein the closure has a first end and a second end and at least one opening extending between the first end and the second end, the closure also has a length, the length is between 5 mm. and 50 mm. 
   
   
       13 . An enhanced plastic net bag according to  claim 1 , further comprising a section that extends beyond the closure, the section comprising a portion of the laminar sheet and a portion of the mesh tubular body, the portion of the laminar sheet and the portion of the mesh tubular body each have an uncoupled end, the section has a length that is between about 10 mm. and about 20 mm. 
   
   
       14 . An enhanced plastic net bag according to  claim 1 , wherein the bag is symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal axis and the bag is symmetrical with respect an axis that is transfer to the longitudinal axis. 
   
   
       15 . An enhanced plastic net bag according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one laminar strip is configured to form a handle to hold and carry the bag. 
   
   
       16 . An enhanced plastic net bag according to  claim 1 , wherein the tubular mesh body and the laminar strip are thermoplastic to facilitate fusion welding the laminar strip, the thermoplastic is at least one of a polyolefin, the polyolefin is at least one of a polyethylene, polypropylene, and ethylenevinylacetate. 
   
   
       17 . An enhanced plastic net bag according to  claim 1 , wherein the tubular mesh body and the laminar strip are thermoplastic to facilitate fusion welding the laminar strip, the thermoplastic is medium density polyethylene. 
   
   
       18 . An enhanced plastic net bag according to  claim 1 , wherein the laminar strip has an exterior layer that is a laminar complex of polypropylene, and the laminar strip has an interior layer that is low density polyethylene. 
   
   
       19 . An enhanced plastic net bag according to  claim 1 , wherein the heat weld may further comprise at least one cut therein and extending between the at least two layers of the laminar strip and the at least two layers of the tubular mesh body. 
   
   
       20 . An enhanced plastic net bag according to  claim 19 , wherein the heat weld has a first end and a second end, wherein the at least one cut is defined between the first end and the second end of the heat weld, and further wherein the at least one cut is substantially perpendicular to heat weld.