Notch top shopping bag

Abstract

A shopping bag structure having an interlocking notched closure for the top of the bag is described that includes generally rectangular confronting front and rear panels and pleated side panels interconnecting the front and rear panels, the front, rear and side panels forming at one end thereof a top opening for the bag structure and being folded together at the other end thereof to form a closed bottom for the bag structure, and at least one pair of spaced apart cut lines on each of the front and rear panels near the first ends thereof, each pair of cut lines extending from the top opening downwardly and converging whereby confronting trapezoidal shaped tab portions are defined by each pair of cut lines on the front and rear panels. The tab portions can be folded and interlocked to form a closed condition for the bag structure.

1 . A shopping bag structure comprising:
 (a) generally rectangular confronting front and rear panels, each of said front panel and said rear panel having an inner surface and an outer surface;   (b) pleated side panels interconnecting said front and rear panels;   (c) said front, rear and side panels defining a top opening for the bag structure at a first end of said panels, and a closed bottom at a second end of said panels;   (d) each of said side panels having pleats whereby said side panels are foldable inwardly between said front and rear panels in a closed condition for the top opening for the bag structure; and   (e) means defining at least one pair of spaced apart cut lines on each of said front and rear panels near said first ends thereof, each said pair of cut lines extending from said top opening downwardly and converging whereby confronting trapezoidal shaped tab portions are defined by said pairs of spaced apart cut lines on said front and rear panels near said first ends thereof.   
   
   
       2 . The shopping bag structure of  claim 1  further comprising a strip of adhesive on the inner surface of at least one of said front and rear panels between said spaced apart cut lines therein. 
   
   
       3 . The shopping bag structure of  claim 2  wherein said adhesive strip comprises a pressure sensitive adhesive. 
   
   
       4 . The shopping bag structure of  claim 1  wherein said front, rear and side panels comprise a material selected from the group consisting of paper, cloth fabric and plastic. 
   
   
       5 . The shopping bag structure of  claim 4  wherein said material is insulated. 
   
   
       6 . The shopping bag structure of  claim 1  further comprising a handle attached to each of said front and rear panels. 
   
   
       7 . The shopping bag structure of  claim 1  wherein said front, rear and side panels folded together at a second end of said panels to form a closed bottom end for the bag structure. 
   
   
       8 . The shopping bag structure of  claim 7  wherein front, rear and side panels are adhesively joined at said second ends of said panels to form said closed bottom for the bag structure. 
   
   
       9 . In a shopping bag structure having generally rectangular confronting front and rear panels, each having an inner surface and an outer surface and defining a top opening for said bag structure at respective first ends of said front and rear panels, an improvement, comprising, means defining at least one pair of spaced apart cut lines on each of said front and rear panels near said first ends thereof, each said pair of cut lines extending from said top opening downwardly and converging whereby confronting trapezoidal shaped tab portions are defined by said pairs of spaced apart cut lines on said front and rear panels near said first ends thereof. 
   
   
       10 . The improvement of  claim 9  further comprising a strip of adhesive on the inner surface of at least one of said front and rear panels between said spaced apart cut lines therein. 
   
   
       11 . The improvement of  claim 10  wherein said adhesive strip comprises a pressure sensitive adhesive. 
   
   
       12 . The improvement of  claim 9  wherein said front and rear panels comprise a material selected from the group consisting of paper, cloth fabric and plastic. 
   
   
       13 . The improvement of  claim 12  wherein said material is insulated. 
   
   
       14 . The improvement of  claim 9  further comprising a handle attached to each of said front and rear panels. 
   
   
       15 . A shopping bag structure comprising:
 (a) generally rectangular confronting front and rear panels, each of said front panel and said rear panel having an inner surface and an outer surface;   (b) said front and rear panels defining a top opening for the bag structure at a first end of said panels, said front and rear panels joined together at a second end of said panels to form a closed bottom end for the bag structure; and   (c) means defining at least one pair of spaced apart cut lines on each of said front and rear panels near said first ends thereof, each said pair of cut lines extending from said top opening downwardly and converging whereby confronting trapezoidal shaped tab portions are defined by said pairs of spaced apart cut lines on said front and rear panels near said first ends thereof.   
   
   
       16 . The shopping bag structure of  claim 15  further comprising a strip of adhesive on the inner surface of at least one of said front and rear panels between said spaced apart cut lines therein. 
   
   
       17 . The shopping bag structure of  claim 16  wherein said adhesive strip comprises a pressure sensitive adhesive. 
   
   
       18 . The shopping bag structure of  claim 15  wherein said front and rear panels comprise a material selected from the group consisting of paper, cloth fabric and plastic. 
   
   
       19 . The shopping bag structure of  claim 18  wherein said material is insulated. 
   
   
       20 . The shopping bag structure of  claim 15  further comprising a handle attached to each of said front and rear panels.