Internal bag closure and bag kit

Abstract

An internal bag closure and a bag kit that includes a bag with handles and the internal bag closure. The internal bag closure includes a central portion dimensioned to cover an open top of a bag and a pair of handle orifices shaped to allow the easy passage of the handles of the bag through each orifice and their subsequent locking within each orifice when the handles are drawn to their natural handle attachment points on the bag.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An internal bag closure for a self opening square bag having a front panel, a back panel, a right side gusset having a fold, a left side gusset having a fold, a bottom gusset, an open top opposite the bottom gusset, a front handle attached to the front panel proximate the open top and a back handle attached to the back panel proximate the open top, wherein a distance between the front panel and the back panel defines a depth of the bag and wherein a distance between the right side gusset and left side gusset defines a width of the bag, wherein said internal bag closure comprises:
 a front folded over section having a front edge and a back folded over section having a back edge, wherein said front edge of said front folded over section is substantially parallel to said back edge of said back folded over section,   a central section disposed between said front folded over section and said back folded over section, wherein said central section comprises a right end and a left end, wherein a minimum distance between said right end and said left end defines a length, and wherein said length is less than the width of the bag;   a front fold disposed between said front folded over section and said central section and a back fold disposed between said back folded over section, wherein a distance between said front fold and said back fold defines a width, and wherein said width is substantially equal to the depth of the bag; and   a handle orifice disposed through each of said front folded over section and said back folded over section, wherein each handle orifice comprises an expanded center portion shaped and dimensioned to allow the handle of the bag to pass therethrough and a pair of slots extend in opposite directions from said expanded center portion along said length of each folded over section, wherein each of said slots has a width that is less than a thickness of the handle and terminates at an end.   
     
     
         2 . The internal bag closure as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said front folded over section, said back folded over section, said front fold and said back fold are central section disposed between said front folded over section and said back folded over section comprise a single sheet of paper having a paper weight between 250-400 gsm. 
     
     
         3 . The internal bag closure as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said length of said central portion is between ten percent and fifteen percent less the width of the bag. 
     
     
         4 . The internal bag closure as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at said right end and said left end of said central portion are scalloped shaped. 
     
     
         5 . The internal bag closure as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein each of said scalloped shaped right end and said scalloped shaped left end define an arc that allows a natural inward tendency of the folds of the left side gusset and right side gusset of the bag to be unimpeded by said internal bag closure. 
     
     
         6 . The internal bag closure as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a distance between said front edge of said front folded over section and said front fold is between twenty and thirty millimeters and wherein a distance between said back edge of said back folded over section and said back fold is between twenty and thirty millimeters. 
     
     
         7 . The internal bag closure as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said front edge and said back edge is a finished edge. 
     
     
         8 . The internal bag closures as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the bag is a knotted external handle bag, the front handle of the bag passes through a pair of handle openings through the front panel of the bag, back handle of the bag passes through a pair of handle openings through the back panel of the bag, and wherein one handle orifice is dimensioned such that said ends of said slots align with the handle openings through the front panel and one handle orifice is dimensioned such that said ends of said slots align with the handle openings through the back panel. 
     
     
         9 . The internal bag closures as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the bag is in internal handle bag having a turntop, the front handle of the bag passes through a pair of handle openings through the turntop proximate to the front panel, the back handle of the bag passes through a pair of handle openings through the turntop proximate to the back panel of the bag, and wherein one handle orifice is dimensioned such that said ends of said slots align with said handle openings through the turntop proximate to the front panel and one handle orifice is dimensioned such that said ends of said slots align with said handle openings through the turntop proximate to the back panel. 
     
     
         10 . The internal bag closures as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the front handle and the back handle of the bag are ribbon handles and wherein said slots of each handle orifice are slits having a minimal width. 
     
     
         11 . A bag kit comprising:
 a self opening square bag comprising:
 a front panel, a back panel, a right side gusset having a fold, a left side gusset having a fold, a bottom gusset, an open top opposite said bottom gusset, a front handle attached to said front panel proximate said open top and a back handle attached to said back panel proximate said open top; 
 wherein a distance between said front panel and said back panel defines a depth of said bag and wherein a distance between said right side gusset and said left side gusset defines a width of said bag; and 
   an internal bag closure comprising:
 a front folded over section having a front edge and a back folded over section having a back edge, wherein said front edge of said front folded over section is substantially parallel to said back edge of said back folded over section, 
 a central section disposed between said front folded over section and said back folded over section, wherein said central section comprises a right end and a left end, wherein a minimum distance between said right end and said left end defines a length, and wherein said length is less than said width of said bag; 
 a front fold disposed between said front folded over section and said central section and a back fold disposed between said back folded over section, wherein a distance between said front fold and said back fold defines a width, and wherein said width is substantially equal to said depth of said bag; and 
 a handle orifice disposed through each of said front folded over section and said back folded over section, wherein each handle orifice comprises an expanded center portion shaped and dimensioned to allow said handle of said bag to pass therethrough and a pair of slots extend in opposite directions from said expanded center portion along said length of each folded over section, wherein each of said slots has a width that is less than a thickness of said handle and terminates at an end; 
   wherein said kit is assembled by disposing said internal bag closure within said open top of said bag, securing said front handle within said front handle orifice and securing said back handle within said back handle orifice   
     
     
         12 . The bag kit as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein said front folded over section, said back folded over section, said front fold and said back fold are central section disposed between said front folded over section and said back folded over section comprise a single sheet of paper having a paper weight between 250-400 gsm. 
     
     
         13 . The bag kit as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein said length of said central portion of said internal bag closure is between ten percent and fifteen percent less said width of said bag. 
     
     
         14 . The bag kit as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein at said right end and said left end of said central portion of said internal bag closure are scalloped shaped. 
     
     
         15 . The bag kit as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein each of said scalloped shaped right end and said scalloped shaped left end of said internal bag closures define an arc that allows a natural inward tendency of said folds of said left side gusset and right side gusset of said bag to be unimpeded by said internal bag closure. 
     
     
         16 . The bag kit as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein a distance between said front edge of said front folded over section and said front fold of said internal bag closures is between twenty and thirty millimeters and wherein a distance between said back edge of said back folded over section and said back fold of said internal bag closures is between twenty and thirty millimeters. 
     
     
         17 . The bag kit as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein at least one of said front edge and said back edge of said internal bag closures is a finished edge. 
     
     
         18 . The bag kit as claimed in  claim 1 :
 wherein said bag is a knotted external handle bag;   wherein said front handle of said bag passes through a pair of handle openings through said front panel of said bag;   wherein said back handle of said bag passes through a pair of handle openings through said back panel of said bag;   wherein one handle orifice of said internal bag closure is dimensioned such that said ends of said slots align with said handle openings through said front panel and   wherein one handle orifice of said internal bag closure is dimensioned such that said ends of said slots align with said handle openings through said back panel.   
     
     
         19 . The bag kit as claimed in  claim 11 :
 wherein said bag is in internal handle bag having a turntop;   wherein said front handle of said bag passes through a pair of handle openings through said turntop proximate to said front panel;   wherein said back handle of said bag passes through a pair of handle openings through said turntop proximate to said back panel of said bag;   wherein one handle orifice is dimensioned such that said ends of said slots align with said handle openings through said turntop proximate to said front panel; and   wherein one handle orifice is dimensioned such that said ends of said slots align with said handle openings through said turntop proximate to said back panel.   
     
     
         20 . The bag kit as claimed in  claim 11  wherein said front handle and said back handle of said bag are ribbon handles and wherein said slots of each handle orifice of said internal bag closures are slits having a minimal width.