Commercial transportation garment bag and methods

Abstract

A commercial transportation garment bag includes a flexible, fluid-impermeable bag made of sustainable material to protect articles from damage, dirt and moisture during storage and transoceanic transportation shipping while lowering transportation cost and carbon footprint. The commercial transportation garment bag includes a storage area, a valve opening, and a one-time-use seal. A method of using the commercial transportation garment bag includes placing an article within the storage area through the storage area access opening, sealing the storage area access opening with an one-time-use seal, and evacuating fluid from the storage area through the valve device with a vacuum source.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A garment bag comprising:
 a flexible, fluid-impermeable bag made of sustainable material comprising a first panel and a second panel, the first panel includes a first periphery and the second panel includes a second periphery, the first panel and the second panel being hermetically sealed together along a portion of the first periphery and the second periphery to define a storage area between the first panel and the second panel and a storage area access opening where the first periphery and the second periphery are not hermetically sealed together;   a valve device configured to provide fluid communication with the storage area, the valve device including a valve opening through the first panel and a valve member sealed about the valve opening; and   a tear strip extending across a portion of the storage area and or a tear notch, wherein the tear strip is configured to provide one-time-use access to the storage area.   
     
     
         2 . The garment bag of  claim 1 , wherein sustainable material is recyclable and/or bio-based or recycled or bio-degradable material. 
     
     
         3 . The garment bag of  claim 1 , wherein the garment bag is configured to block with ultraviolet light. 
     
     
         4 . The garment bag of  claim 3 , further comprising an ultraviolet light structure integrated into at least one of the first panel and the second panel. 
     
     
         5 . The garment bag of  claim 3 , wherein the ultraviolet light structure comprises a film. 
     
     
         6 . The garment bag of  claim 1 , wherein the garment bag is provided with a moisture level sensing device for monitoring moisture within the storage area. 
     
     
         7 . The garment bag of  claim 6 , wherein the moisture level sensing device comprises a gauge that indicates that indicates the level of moisture within the storage area. 
     
     
         8 . The garment bag of  claim 6 , wherein the moisture level sensing device is configured to display alternative colors depending upon a level of moisture within the storage area. 
     
     
         9 . The garment bag of  claim 1 , wherein the commercial transportation garment bag is provided with a pressure level sensing device configured to monitor pressure within the storage area. 
     
     
         10 . The garment bag of  claim 9 , wherein the pressure level sensing device comprises a gauge that indicates the level of pressure within the storage area. 
     
     
         11 . The garment bag of  claim 9 , wherein the pressure level sensing device is configured to display alternative colors depending on a level of moisture within the storage area. 
     
     
         12 . The garment bag of  claim 1 , wherein the garment bag is provided with a tamper indicating device. 
     
     
         13 . The garment bag of  claim 1 , wherein the garment bag is provided with an RFID inlay. 
     
     
         14 . The garment bag of  claim 1 , wherein the garment bag is economical and configured to be recycled after one-way use. 
     
     
         15 . A method of using a commercial transportation garment bag comprising a flexible, fluid-impermeable bag made of sustainable material including a storage area, a storage area access opening, a valve device, and a tear strip, the method comprising the steps of:
 (i) placing an article within the storage area through the storage area access opening;   (ii) sealing the storage area access opening with an one-time-use seal; and   (iii) evacuating fluid from the storage area through the valve device with a vacuum source.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein after step (ii) and before step (iii), further comprising the step of conforming the commercial transportation garment bag to the article. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein step (ii) forms the one-time-use bag by heat sealing. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein step (iii) evacuates 0 to 80% of fluid from the storage area. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein step (iii) evacuates 40 to 60% of fluid from the storage area.