Foldable Bag

Abstract

A foldable bag for insulating a bottle or other beverage container comprises means for attaching the bag in its folded state wherein the bag can serve as a label on the outside of the bottle, and means for attaching the bag to the bottle in its unfolded state wherein the bag envelops the bottle to provide thermal insulation. A method for attaching a folded label to a bottle comprises: attaching a first side of the label to the bottle using a glue; wrapping the label around the bottle; attaching a second side of the label to the surface of the label using glue, in such a way that the label becomes attached to the bottle and the second side covers the side opening at the first side of the label.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A foldable bag for insulating a bottle or other beverage container, comprising means for attaching the bag in its folded state wherein the bag can serve as a label on the outside of the bottle, and means for attaching the bag to the bottle in its unfolded state wherein the bag envelops the bottle to provide thermal insulation. 
     
     
         2 . The foldable bag according to  claim 1 , further including means for fast removal of the bag from the bottle. 
     
     
         3 . The foldable bag according to  claim 2 , wherein the means for fast removal of the bag from the bottle comprise a weak glue for attaching the bag to the bottle and an unglued tongue for pulling the bag away from the bottle. 
     
     
         4 . The foldable bag according to  claim 1 , wherein the label in its folded state covers only a small part of the bottle or beverage container, and when unfolded it transforms into a bag which can provide thermal insulation by attaching it to the bottle, wherein a large part of the bottle is covered. 
     
     
         5 . The foldable bag according to  claim 1 , wherein the bag is so devised in size and shape as to conform to the bottle it is intended to insulate, by providing a tightly close cover therefor. 
     
     
         6 . The foldable bag according to  claim 5 , wherein the bottle has recesses on its surface, and wherein air is trapped between each recess and the bag surface, in such a way that there is no air passage between the separate recesses. 
     
     
         7 . The foldable bag according to  claim 1 , wherein the label is made of an thermally insulating material such as plastic, with or without a coating, and the coating reflects light and/or is water resistant. 
     
     
         8 . The foldable bag according to  claim 1 , further including means for allowing reuse of glue—the same glue used for attaching the folded label to the bottle, is used after unfolding the label into a bag, to attach the bag to the bottle wherein the bag envelops the bottle. 
     
     
         9 . The foldable bag according to  claim 1 , further including an unglued tongue which facilitates removal of the label/bag from the bottle. 
     
     
         10 . The foldable bag according to  claim 1 , wherein the label is transparent or has transparent parts to allow checking the level of the liquid in the bottle. 
     
     
         11 . The foldable bag according to  claim 1 , wherein the label is imprinted so that the printed message becomes visible when the label is unfolded. 
     
     
         12 . The foldable bag according to  claim 1 , wherein the label is attached to a bottle having a bottleneck which becomes gradually narrower, to help keep the label in place. 
     
     
         13 . A method for attaching a folded label to a bottle comprising:
 a. attaching a first side of the label to the bottle using a glue;   b. wrapping the label around the bottle   c. attaching a second side of the label to the surface of the label using glue, in such a way that the label becomes attached to the bottle and the second side covers the side opening at the first side of the label.   
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the label is attached to the bottle in such an orientation, that a folding line is on the upper side of the bottle (the side closer to the bottlenecking). 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the glue is so devised as to remain attached to the label when the label is removed from the bottle, and wherein the glue further retains its properties to allow more than one cycle of attaching/detaching the label from the bottle. 
     
     
         16 . A method for preparing, from an elongated planar sheet, a plurality of labels ready to be attached to bottles or other beverage containers, comprising:
 a. as the sheet is moved in a predefined direction, parts preferably of a rectangular shape are cut away therefrom, at fixed predefined intervals along the sheet;   b. a first folding line is formed on the sheet, separating the sheet into two halves lengthwise;   c. the sheet is folded along the first folding line;   d. a second folding line is formed along the middle of the sheet, and the sheet is again folded along line that line to result in a doubly folded sleeve;   e. the sheet is soldered on an L-shaped soldering area.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , further including the step of rolling the resulting sheet onto a rotating roll. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 16 , further including the step of defining cut lines for future cutting the sheet into separate labels, each label to be attached to a bottle. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein, as the sheet is moved in a predefined direction and parts preferably of a rectangular shape are cut away therefrom, also two cut lines are formed which further extend into the sheet. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the resultant sheet comprises alternating parts having four layers (as a result of two foldings) and parts having only one layer.