Sealable plastic bag assembly

Abstract

A tamper evident plastic bag having a sheet folded to form opposing first and second panels and a bottom gusset. The bag includes a first seam and a second seam that cooperate with the panels and the gusset to form a content receiving region between the panels. A third seam secures the first panel to the second panel at a location between the first seam and the second seam forming two compartments of the content receiving region. An adhesive strip is disposed on an internal surface of the first panel, and the strip being positioned opposite an opposing portion of an internal surface of the second panel. When a protective strip is removed, and the adhesive strip is brought into contact with the opposing internal surface of the second panel, a seal is formed that closes the plastic bag, forming a vent between the first seam and the seal.

1 . A tamper evident plastic bag comprising:
 a plastic sheet folded to form opposing first and second panels of the plastic bag and a bottom gusset, each panel having an internal surface that faces the opposing panel and an exterior surface;   a first seam that secures the first panel to the second panel on a first side edge of the plastic bag;   a second seam that secures the first panel to the second panel on a second side edge of the plastic bag, the first and second seams cooperating with the first and second panels and the bottom gusset to form a content receiving region of the plastic bag between the panels, and a top opening between the panels;   an adhesive strip disposed on the internal surface of the first panel, the adhesive strip being positioned opposite an opposing portion of the internal surface of the second panel; and   a removable protective strip that covers the adhesive strip, the plastic bag being configured such that when the protective strip is removed, and the adhesive strip is brought into contact with the opposing portion of internal surface of the second panel, a seal is formed that closes the plastic bag and a vent is formed between the first seam and the seal; and   a handle arranged to be gripped by a user at a location above the adhesive strip after the seal is formed to facilitate carrying the plastic bag, wherein the handle does not provide access to the content receiving region of the sealed plastic bag.   
     
     
         2 . The tamper evident plastic bag as recited in  claim 1  further comprising a third seam that secures the first panel to the second panel at a location between the first seam and the second seam to form two compartments of the content receiving region of the plastic bag. 
     
     
         3 . The tamper evident plastic bag as recited in  claim 2  wherein the third seam extends generally vertically. 
     
     
         4 . The tamper evident plastic bag as recited in  claim 3  wherein the third seam is a thermal seal between the first panel and the second panel. 
     
     
         5 . The tamper evident plastic bag as recited in  claim 3  wherein a general shape of the third seam is an inverted V. 
     
     
         6 . The tamper evident plastic bag as recited in  claim 5  wherein
 the horizontal location of the third seam is about midway between the first seam and the second seam. 
 
     
     
         7 . The tamper evident plastic bag as recited in  claim 1  wherein the vent is sufficiently large to enable the venting of steam therethrough while being sufficiently small to prevent the passage of a human hand therethrough. 
     
     
         8 . The tamper evident plastic bag as recited in  claim 1  wherein the adhesive strip is positioned at a level that is higher on the plastic bag than top ends of the first and second seams and the vent is formed between the top of the first seam and the seal. 
     
     
         9 . The tamper evident plastic bag as recited in  claim 1  wherein when the adhesive strip is brought into contact with the opposing portion of internal surface of the second panel a second vent is also formed, the second vent being formed between the second seam and the seal. 
     
     
         10 . The tamper evident plastic bag as recited in  claim 1  wherein the vents are located in an upper portion of the plastic bag and extend laterally inward from their associated seams. 
     
     
         11 . The tamper evident plastic bag as recited in  claim 1  wherein the tamper evident plastic bag is a food or beverage carrier 
     
     
         12 . The tamper evident plastic bag as recited in  claim 1  wherein the handle is a die cut handle formed in the first and second panels at a location above the adhesive strip. 
     
     
         13 . The tamper evident plastic bag as recited in  claim 1  further comprising a tear feature positioned at a level that is lower on the plastic bag than the adhesive strip, the tear feature being configured to facilitate opening the bag after it has been sealed, to thereby provide access to the content receiving region of the plastic bag. 
     
     
         14 . The tamper evident plastic bag as recited in  claim 13  wherein the tear feature includes a perforation formed in at least one of the panels. 
     
     
         15 . The tamper evident plastic bag as recited in  claim 14  wherein the perforation is oriented substantially in parallel with the adhesive strip, below the adhesive strip and extends laterally across the plastic bag ,and is configured such that the plastic bag may be opened by tearing the perforation from either end of the perforation. 
     
     
         16 . The tamper evident plastic bag as recited in  claim 14  wherein each panel has a perforation. 
     
     
         17 . The tamper evident plastic bag as recited in  claim 13  wherein the tear feature includes a tear notch formed on the first side edge of the plastic bag at a position lower on the bag than the adhesive strip. 
     
     
         18 . The tamper evident plastic bag as recited in  claim 1  wherein the adhesive strip is a single use closure adhesive strip. 
     
     
         19 . A top opening, tamper evident plastic bag comprising:
 a plastic sheet folded to form opposing first and second panels of the plastic bag and a bottom gusset, each panel having an internal surface that faces the opposing panel and an exterior surface;   a first seam that secures the first panel to the second panel on a first side edge of the plastic bag;   a second seam that secures the first panel to the second panel on a second side edge of the plastic bag, the first and second seams cooperating with the first and second panels and the bottom gusset to form the top opening bag with a content receiving region between the panels;   a laterally extending single use closure adhesive strip disposed on the internal surface of the first panel, the adhesive strip being positioned opposite an opposing portion of the internal surface of the second panel and wherein the adhesive strip is positioned at a level that is higher on the plastic bag than top ends of the first and second seams;   a removable protective strip that covers the adhesive strip, the plastic bag being configured such that when the protective strip is removed, and the adhesive strip is brought into contact with the opposing portion of internal surface of the second panel a seal is formed that closes the plastic bag and a first vent is formed between the top of the first seam and the seal and a second vent is formed between the top of the second seam and the seal, wherein the vents are sufficiently large to enable the venting of steam therethrough while being sufficiently small to prevent the passage of a human hand therethrough; and   a tear feature positioned at a level that is lower on the plastic bag than the adhesive strip, the tear feature being configured to facilitate opening the bag after it has been sealed to thereby provide access to the content receiving region of the plastic bag; and   a handle formed as cut-outs in upper portions of the first and second panels at a location above the adhesive strip.   
     
     
         20 . The tamper evident plastic bag as recited in  claim 19  further comprising a third seam that secures the first panel to the second panel at a vertical location below the tear feature, and a horizontal location between the first seam and the second seam to form two compartments of the content receiving region of the plastic bag. 
     
     
         21 . The tamper evident plastic bag as recited in  claim 19  wherein:
 the plastic bag is a wave top plastic bag and each panel has a wave upper portion at a level that is higher on the plastic bag than the top ends of the seams; 
 the adhesive strip is disposed on the wave upper portion of the first panel; and 
 the vents extend laterally inward from their associated seams along a top edge of the wave upper portions of the panels. 
 
     
     
         22 . The tamper evident plastic bag as recited in  claim 21  wherein
 the tear feature is positioned in the wave upper portions of the panels at a level that is higher on the plastic bag than the top ends of the seams. 
 
     
     
         23 . The tamper evident plastic bag as recited in  claim 21  wherein
 the tear feature is at a level that is lower on the plastic bag than the top ends of the seams. 
 
     
     
         24 . The tamper evident plastic bag as recited in  claim 21  further
 comprising a die cut handle formed in the wave upper portions of the first and second panels at a location above the adhesive strip. 
 
     
     
         25 . The tamper evident plastic bag as recited in  claim 21  wherein
 the tear feature includes at least one of a perforation and a tear notch. 
 
     
     
         26 - 30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . A top opening, tamper evident, plastic food or beverage carrier bag comprising:
 a plastic sheet folded to form opposing first and second panels of the plastic bag and a bottom gusset, each panel having an internal surface that faces the opposing panel, an exterior surface, and a wave top upper portion, the first and second panels having substantially identical footprints;   a first seam that secures the first panel to the second panel on a first side edge of the plastic bag;   a second seam that secures the first panel to the second panel on a second side edge of the plastic bag, the first and second seams cooperating with the first and second panels and the bottom gusset to form the top opening bag with a content receiving region between the panels, and wherein the wave top upper portions of the first and second panels are at a level that is higher on the plastic bag than the top ends of the first and second seams and all regions of the first and second panels above the first and second seams are narrower in width than a width between the first and second seams;   a laterally extending single use closure adhesive strip disposed on the internal surface of the wave top upper portion of the first panel, the adhesive strip being positioned opposite an opposing portion of the internal surface of the wave top upper portion of the second panel, wherein the adhesive strip extends continuously across the wave top upper portion of the first panel between opposite edges of the wave top upper portion of the first panel;   a removable protective strip that covers the adhesive strip, the plastic bag being configured such that when the protective strip is removed, and the adhesive strip is brought into contact with the opposing portion of internal surface of the second panel a seal is formed that closes the plastic bag and a first vent is formed between the top of the first seam and the seal and a second vent is formed between the top of the second seam and the seal, the vents extending laterally inward from their associated seams along a top edge of the wave top upper portions of the panels, wherein the vents are sufficiently large to enable the venting of steam therethrough while being sufficiently small to prevent the passage of a human hand therethrough; and   a tear feature positioned at a level that is lower on the plastic bag than the adhesive strip, the tear feature being configured to facilitate opening the bag after it has been sealed to thereby provide access to the content receiving region of the plastic bag; and   a handle formed as cut-outs in upper portions of the first and second panels at a location above the adhesive strip.   
     
     
         32 . The tamper evident plastic bag as recited in  claim 19  wherein:
 all upper portions of the first and second panels that are at a level that is higher on the plastic bag than the top ends of the first and second seams, including the portions of the internal surface of the first panel that underlie the adhesive strip, are narrower in width than a width between the first and second seams; and 
 the adhesive strip and the removable protective strip each extend continuously across the first panel between opposite edges of the first panel; and 
 whereby no portion of the adhesive strip or the removable protective strip are positioned directly above the top end of either of the first and second seams. 
 
     
     
         33 . The tamper evident plastic bag as recited in  claim 19  wherein the first and second panels have substantially identical footprints and no portion of the removable protective strip extends beyond the footprint of the first and second panels. 
     
     
         34 . The tamper evident plastic bag as recited in  claim 19  wherein the tamper evident plastic bag is a food or beverage carrier bag.