Easy Open Plastic Bags

Abstract

A woven laminated plastic bag having an easy open feature is provided. The easy open feature is generally defined by a weakened portion in the bag, such as formed by cutting, punching, or using a laser to provide a plurality of cuts and/or perforations in the bag. In various aspects the bag can be fabricated from a woven polypropylene and/or polyethylene layer, which can be laminated with a film layer, can form a pinch bottom bag, and can have one or both sides include graphics and/or printing. The bag can also be sealed to be sealed to provide a top end and/or a bottom end either or both of which provide a discrete area which may contain discrete graphics and/or printing.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A bag comprising a first wall, a second wall, an interior surface, an exterior surface, a first end, and a second end, wherein said first wall and said second wall each comprise a laminate consisting essentially of a first layer comprising woven strips comprising oriented polypropylene, a second layer comprising a polypropylene film, and a third layer comprising a polypropylene film, wherein said bag further comprises a plurality of perforations, wherein said plurality of perforations define a shape comprising at least one line, and wherein each of the plurality of perforations extends at least partially through the laminate. 
     
     
         2 . The bag according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of perforations extends between about 10% and about 70% of a distance across the first wall, the second wall, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The bag according to  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of cuts or perforations extend about 15%, about 20%, about 25%, about 30%, about 35%, about 40%, about 45%, about 50%, about 55%, about 60%, about 65%, about 70%, about 75%, about 80%, about 85%, about 90%, about 95% or about 99% of a distance across the first wall, the second wall, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The bag according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of perforations further define a curve. 
     
     
         5 . The bag according to  claim 1 , further comprising a cover covering the plurality of perforations and which comprises a piece of tape. 
     
     
         6 . The bag according to  claim 1 , wherein the bag further comprises a first side wall having an interior surface, an exterior surface, a first end and a second end, and a second side wall having an interior surface, an exterior surface, a first end and a second end, wherein the first side wall and the second side wall further comprise gussets. 
     
     
         7 . The bag according to  claim 1 , wherein when each of the first end and the second end of the bag are closed, said bag is adapted to hold at least ten pounds by weight of a filling material. 
     
     
         8 . The bag according to  claim 1 , wherein when each of the first end and the second end of the bag are closed, said bag is adapted to hold at least twenty pounds by weight of a filling material. 
     
     
         9 . The bag according to  claim 1 , wherein when each of the first end and the second end of the bag are closed, said bag is adapted to hold at least thirty pounds by weight of a filling material. 
     
     
         10 . The bag according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the first end and the second end of the bag are sealed, and wherein the bag comprises at least about forty pounds by weight of a filling material. 
     
     
         11 . A bag comprising a first wall, a second wall, an interior surface, an exterior surface, a first end, and a second end, wherein said first wall and said second wall each comprise a laminate consisting essentially of a first layer comprising woven strips comprising oriented polyethylene, a second layer comprising a polyethylene film, and a third layer comprising a polyethylene film, wherein said bag further comprises a plurality of perforations, wherein said plurality of perforations define a shape comprising at least one line, and wherein each of the plurality of perforations extends at least partially through the laminate. 
     
     
         12 . The bag according to  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of cuts or perforations extends between about 10% and about 70% of a distance across the first wall, the second wall, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The bag according to  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of cuts or perforations extend about 15%, about 20%, about 25%, about 30%, about 35%, about 40%, about 45%, about 50%, about 55%, about 60%, about 65%, about 70%, about 75%, about 80%, about 85%, about 90%, about 95% or about 99% of a distance across the first wall, the second wall, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The bag according to  claim 11 , wherein the plurality perforations further define a curve. 
     
     
         15 . The bag according to  claim 11 , further comprising a cover covering the plurality of perforations and which comprises a piece of tape. 
     
     
         16 . The bag according to  claim 11 , wherein the bag further comprises a first side wall having an interior surface, an exterior surface, a first end and a second end, and a second side wall having an interior surface, an exterior surface, a first end and a second end, wherein the first side wall and the second side wall further comprise gussets. 
     
     
         17 . The bag according to  claim 11 , wherein when each of the first end and the second end of the bag are closed, said bag is adapted to hold at least ten pounds by weight of a filling material. 
     
     
         18 . The bag according to  claim 11 , wherein when each of the first end and the second end of the bag are closed, said bag is adapted to hold at least twenty pounds by weight of a filling material. 
     
     
         19 . The bag according to  claim 11 , wherein when each of the first end and the second end of the bag are closed, said bag is adapted to hold at least thirty pounds by weight of a filling material. 
     
     
         20 . The bag according to  claim 11 , wherein each of the first end and the second end of the bag are sealed, and wherein the bag comprises at least about forty pounds by weight of a filling material. 
     
     
         21 . A bag comprising a first wall, a second wall, an interior surface, an exterior surface, a first end and a second end, wherein the first wall and the second wall each comprise a laminate consisting essentially of a first layer, a second layer, and a third layer, wherein the first layer consists essentially of woven strips comprising oriented polyester, polyethylene, polypropylene, or a combination thereof, the second layer consists essentially of an oriented polymeric film, and the third layer consists essentially of an oriented polymer, wherein the second layer comprises polypropylene, polyethylene, polyester, polyethylene terephthalate, polyamide, or a combination thereof, wherein said bag further comprises a plurality of cuts or perforations, wherein said plurality of cuts or perforations define a shape comprising at least one row extending across the first wall of the bag, the second wall of the bag, or a combination thereof, wherein each of the plurality of the cuts or perforations extends at least partially through the laminate. 
     
     
         22 . The bag according to  claim 21 , wherein the first layer further comprises high density polyethylene, low density polyethylene, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         23 . The bag according to  claim 21 , wherein the third layer comprises a film and further comprises polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyamide, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         24 . The bag according to  claim 21 , wherein the third layer comprises biaxially-oriented polypropylene, biaxially-oriented polyethylene, biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate, biaxially-oriented polyamide, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         25 . The bag according to  claim 21 , wherein the plurality of cuts or perforations extends between about 10% and about 70% of a distance across the first wall of the bag, the second wall of the bag, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         26 . The bag according to  claim 25 , wherein the plurality of cuts or perforations extend about 15%, about 20%, about 25%, about 30%, about 35%, about 40%, about 45%, about 50%, about 55%, about 60%, about 65%, about 70%, about 75%, about 80%, about 85%, about 90%, about 95% or about 99% of a distance across the first wall of the bag, the second wall of the bag, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         27 . The bag according to  claim 21 , wherein the plurality of cuts or perforations further define a curve. 
     
     
         28 . The bag according to  claim 21 , further comprising a cover covering the plurality of perforations and which comprises a piece of tape. 
     
     
         29 . The bag according to  claim 21 , wherein the first end of the bag is adapted to be closed using an adhesive sealing, heat sealing, adhesive lamination, extrusion lamination, stitching, ultrasonic energy, pressure, tape, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         30 . The bag according to  claim 21 , wherein the bag further comprises a first side wall having an interior surface, an exterior surface, a first end and a second end, and a second side wall having an interior surface, an exterior surface, a first end and a second end, wherein the first side wall and the second side wall further comprise gussets. 
     
     
         31 . The bag according to  claim 21  wherein at least a portion of the front wall or the back wall projects beyond a corresponding portion of the other. 
     
     
         32 . The bag according to  claim 21 , wherein when each of the first end and the second end of the bag are closed, said bag is adapted to hold at least twenty pounds by weight of a filling material. 
     
     
         33 . The bag according to  claim 21 , wherein when each of the first end and the second end of the bag are closed, said bag is adapted to hold at least thirty pounds by weight of a filling material. 
     
     
         34 . The bag according to  claim 21 , wherein each of the first end and the second end of the bag are sealed, and wherein the bag comprises at least about forty pounds by weight of a filling material.