Protective container

Abstract

A protective container, such as a protective bag, comprising a sealable aperture defined by opposing first and second flexible sheets which are joined to each other by seals at either side of the aperture, such that the aperture is closable by bringing the first and second flexible sheets into contact with each other across the width of the aperture, wherein the inward facing surface of the first sheet comprises an adhesive strip which extends across the width of the aperture and is covered by a release liner such that when the release liner is removed, the aperture is sealable by bringing the adhesive strip into contact with an opposing part of the second flexible sheet across the width of the aperture, wherein the release liner does not extend into the seal between the first and second flexible sheets at either side of the sealable aperture. The protective container is typically waterproof and can be used to protect articles from damage by water, such as rain water or flood water.

1 .- 41 . (canceled) 
   
   
       42 . A protective container comprising a sealable aperture defined by opposing first and second flexible sheets which are joined to each other by seals at either side of the aperture, such that the aperture is closable by bringing the first and second flexible sheets into contact with each other across the width of the aperture, wherein the inward facing surface of the first sheet comprises an adhesive strip which extends across the width of the aperture and is covered by a release liner such that when the release liner is removed, the aperture is sealable by bringing the adhesive strip into contact with an opposing part of the second flexible sheet across the width of the aperture, wherein the interior surfaces of the first and second flexible sheets comprise cooperating opposed keying members, such that a first keying member on the first flexible sheet may be fitted into a second keying member on the second flexible sheet to align the first and second flexible sheets relative to each other during sealing. 
   
   
       43 . A protective container according to  claim 42 , wherein the interior surfaces of the first and second flexible sheets comprise cooperating opposed elongate gripping members, located inwards of the adhesive strip, which extend across the sealable aperture and which can be detachably mated to form a waterproof seal. 
   
   
       44 . A protective container according to  claim 42 , wherein the release liner lies wholly within the protective container. 
   
   
       45 . A protective container according to  claim 42 , wherein the release liner faces directly onto the second flexible sheet. 
   
   
       46 . A protective container according to  claim 42 , wherein the protective container is waterproof when the aperture is sealed. 
   
   
       47 . A protective container according to  claim 42 , comprising a plurality of the said adhesive strips, each of which extends across the width of the aperture, on the inward facing surface of the first flexible sheet. 
   
   
       48 . A protective container according to  claim 42 , wherein the or each adhesive strip comprises a single-use adhesive. 
   
   
       49 . A protective container according to  claim 42 , wherein the first and second flexible sheets are formed from a single folded piece of single-layer or multi-layer material. 
   
   
       50 . A protective container according to  claim 42 , wherein the first flexible sheet comprises an elongate reinforcement member which is parallel to, and typically overlays, the adhesive strip. 
   
   
       51 . A protective container according to  claim 50 , wherein the second flexible sheet comprises a further, opposing, elongate reinforcement member. 
   
   
       52 . A protective container according to  claim 51 , wherein opposed elongate reinforcement members are sealed to each other at either side of the aperture. 
   
   
       53 . A protective container according to  claim 50  wherein the elongate reinforcement members are substantially flexible about a transverse axis and resist transverse movement relative to each other, so as to aid alignment of the adhesive strip when they are brought into contact with each other to seal the aperture. 
   
   
       54 . A protective container according to  claim 51 , wherein the first and second keying members are formed within the elongate reinforcement members 
   
   
       55 . A protective container according to  claim 42 , wherein the or each adhesive strip extends into the seal between the first and second sheets at either or both sides of the aperture. 
   
   
       56 . A protective container according to  claim 55 , wherein the or each adhesive strip extends through the seals to the very edges of the first and second sheets, and the first and second sheets are sealed to each other on either side of where the or each adhesive strip extends through the seals. 
   
   
       57 . A protective container according to  claim 42  which is a protective bag. 
   
   
       58 . A protective container comprising a sealable aperture defined by opposing first and second flexible sheets which are joined to each other by seals at either side of the aperture, such that the aperture is closable by bringing the first and second flexible sheets into contact with each other across the width of the aperture, wherein the inward facing surface of the first sheet comprises an adhesive strip which extends across the width of the aperture and is covered by a release liner such that when the release liner is removed, the aperture is sealable by bringing the adhesive strip into contact with an opposing part of the second flexible sheet across the width of the aperture, wherein the interior surfaces of the first and second flexible sheets comprise cooperating opposed elongate gripping members, located inwards of the adhesive strip, which extend across the sealable aperture and which can be detachably mated to form a waterproof seal. 
   
   
       59 . A protective container according to  claim 58 , wherein the or each adhesive strip comprises a single-use adhesive. 
   
   
       60 . A protective container according to  claim 58 , wherein the first flexible sheet comprises an elongate reinforcement member which is parallel to and overlays the adhesive strip and wherein the second flexible sheet comprises a further, opposing, elongate reinforcement member. 
   
   
       61 . A protective container according to  claim 58  which is a protective bag.