Dual-compartment reclosable bag

Abstract

A dual-compartment bag has similar front and back panels each having a pair of generally parallel and vertical longitudinal edges and top and bottom edges between respective upper and lower ends of the respective longitudinal edges. A transversely extending cross weld connects the front panel and the back panel and forms therebetween an upper compartment above the cross weld and a lower compartment below the cross weld. An upper reclosable fastener has interlocking profile strips at the top edges of the upper compartment forming an upper resealable removal opening between the front panel and the back panel giving access to the upper compartment. A lower reclosable fastener has interlocking profile strips extending in the transverse direction on the front panel at the lower compartment, at a spacing above the bottom edges, and giving access to the lower compartment.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A dual-compartment bag comprising:
 similar front and back panels each having a pair of generally parallel and vertical longitudinal edges and top and bottom edges between respective upper and lower ends of the respective longitudinal edges;   a transversely extending cross weld connecting the front panel and the back panel and forming therebetween an upper compartment above the cross weld and a lower compartment below the cross weld;   an upper reclosable fastener having interlocking profile strips at the top edges of the upper compartment and forming an upper reclosable removal opening between the front panel and the back panel giving access to the upper compartment; and   a lower reclosable fastener having interlocking profile strips extending in the transverse direction on the front panel at the lower compartment, at a spacing above the bottom edges, and giving access to the lower compartment.   
     
     
         2 . The dual-compartment bag defined in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 respective longitudinally extending side gussets connecting the longitudinal edges of the front panel to the longitudinal edges of the back panel.   
     
     
         3 . The dual-compartment bag defined in  claim 2 , wherein the side gussets end at a spacing from the upper edges of the panels. 
     
     
         4 . The dual-compartment bag defined in  claim 3 , wherein at least one of the profile strips of the upper reclosable fastener has a connecting section and a connecting lip adjacent thereto, and upper ends of the side gussets are closed by the connecting lip. 
     
     
         5 . The dual-compartment bag defined in  claim 1 , wherein the front panel has a weakened tear line forming a removable section level with the lower reclosable fastener, the lower reclosable fastener being accessible on the front panel after removal of the section. 
     
     
         6 . The dual-compartment bag defined in  claim 1 , characterized in that one of the reclosable fasteners has a slide for connecting and separating the respective profile strips. 
     
     
         7 . The dual-compartment bag defined in  claim 1 , wherein the panels have welds on the longitudinal edges. 
     
     
         8 . The dual-compartment bag defined in  claim 7 , wherein the profile strips of the lower reclosable fastener end transversely short of the welds. 
     
     
         9 . The dual-compartment bag defined in  claim 1 , wherein the profile strips of the lower reclosable fastener each have a connecting section and a connecting lip adjacent thereto and the connecting lips are both attached at the front panel to an inner face of front panel in the lower compartment. 
     
     
         10 . The dual-compartment bag defined in  claim 9 , wherein, in the lower reclosable fastener, the connecting lips extend longitudinally oppositely from the interconnected connecting sections. 
     
     
         11 . The dual-compartment bag defined in  claim 1 , wherein the cross weld is formed with a transversely throughgoing weakened tear line along which the upper compartment can be separated from the lower compartment. 
     
     
         12 . The dual-compartment bag defined in  claim 1 , wherein the panels are each made of a multilayer composite film that has at least one outer layer forming an outer surface of the respective panel and a weldable layer forming an inner surface thereof.