Evertable bag for containing items

Abstract

A bag that is capable of being turned inside out (“everted”) so that items can be picked up using the bag so that the item does not contact a user's hand. The bag is formed with a tall gusset that defines spaces for the user to place the fingers and thumb, respectively in the bag. The gusset can then be used to grasp the item before everting the bag by pulling the item and gusset upwardly through the top of the bag to achieve eversion.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An evertable bag for containing one or more items, the bag comprising:
 a first sheet of flexible material having an exterior surface and an interior surface;   a second sheet of flexible material having an exterior surface and an interior surface, the interior surfaces of the first and second sheets being generally opposed to each other in an interior of the bag and the exterior surfaces of the first and second sheets facing away from the interior of the bag, the bag having a volume sized and shaped for receiving an adult human hand therein;   a first closure member mounted on the exterior surface of the first sheet;   a second closure member mounted on the exterior surface of the second sheet, the second closure member being configured for mating engagement with the first closure member;   a gusset operatively connecting the first and second sheets to each other thereby closing a bottom of the bag, the gusset having a height of at least about one inch in a flattened condition of the gusset, the gusset forming a first volume between a first surface of the gusset and the interior surface of the first sheet, and a second volume between a second surface of the gusset and the interior surface of the second sheet, the first volume being sized and shaped to receive one of fingers of the adult human hand and a thumb of the adult human hand, and the second volume being sized and shaped to receive the other of the fingers and the thumb of the human hand for grasping the one or more items to be stored in the bag such that an exterior surface of the gusset engages the one or more items;   the bag being evertable by pulling a grasped one or more items upward through an open top of the bag whereby the positions of the interior and exterior surfaces of the first and second sheets are exchanged, the one or more items are located within the bag and the first and second closure members are position on an interior of the bag and mateable for closing the everted bag.   
     
     
         2 . The evertable bag as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the height of the gusset is at least about one quarter of a height of the bag. 
     
     
         3 . The evertable bag as set forth in  claim 2  wherein the height of the gusset is at least about one third of a height of the bag. 
     
     
         4 . The evertable bag as set forth in  claim 1  wherein at least one of the first and second sheets has a region formed differently from other regions of the bag to facilitate eversion of the bag. 
     
     
         5 . The evertable bag as set forth in  claim 4  wherein both the first and second sheets have regions formed differently from other regions of the bag to facilitate eversion of the bag. 
     
     
         6 . The evertable bag as set forth in  claim 5  wherein the regions are located above the top of the gusset and below a top of the bag. 
     
     
         7 . The evertable bag as set forth in  claim 6  wherein the regions extend from first sides of the first and second sheets to second sides of the first and second sheets. 
     
     
         8 . The evertable bag as set forth in  claim 7  wherein the regions are formed by making impressions in the flexible material of the first sheet and the flexible material of the second sheet. 
     
     
         9 . The evertable bag as set forth in  claim 1  further comprising a strip of material operatively connected to the first and second sheets and disposed in the interior of the bag, the strip being arranged to be located on the exterior of the bag, when the bag is everted. 
     
     
         10 . The evertable bag as set forth in  claim 9  wherein the strip material is different than the material of the first sheet and the material of the second sheet. 
     
     
         11 . The evertable bag as set forth in  claim 9  wherein the strip is located nearer to a top of the bag than to a bottom of the bag in a position so that upon eversion of the bag, the strip is configured to extend over a top of the everted bag for use as a handle to carry the bag. 
     
     
         12 . The evertable bag as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the gusset comprises a first fold and a second fold, a height of the first fold being greater than a height of the second fold. 
     
     
         13 . The evertable bag as set forth in  claim 12  wherein the gusset further comprises a third fold, the third fold having a height less than the height of the first fold and greater than the height of the second fold. 
     
     
         14 . A roll of bags comprising a web of bags, each bag being as set forth in  claim 1 , lines of weakness in the web between each bag configured to permit the bags to be individually torn from the web. 
     
     
         15 . An evertable bag for containing one or more items, the bag comprising:
 a first sheet of flexible material having an exterior surface and an interior surface;   a second sheet of flexible material having an exterior surface and an interior surface, the interior surfaces of the first and second sheets being generally opposed to each other in an interior of the bag and the exterior surfaces of the first and second sheets facing away from the interior of the bag, the bag having a volume sized and shaped for receiving an adult human hand therein;   a first closure member mounted on the exterior surface of the first sheet;   a second closure member mounted on the exterior surface of the second sheet, the second closure member being configured for mating engagement with the first closure member;   a gusset operatively connecting the first and second sheets to each other thereby closing a bottom of the bag, the gusset comprising a first fold, a second fold and a third fold, the second fold being located proximate the first sheet, the third fold being located proximate the second sheet and the first fold being located between the first and second fold, the first fold having a height greater than heights of the second and third folds, when the first, second and third folds are in a flattened condition, the gusset forming a first volume between the first fold and the interior surface of the first sheet, and a second volume between the first fold and the interior surface of the second sheet, the first volume being sized and shaped to receive one of fingers of the adult human hand and a thumb of the adult human hand, and the second volume being sized and shaped to receive the other of the fingers and the thumb of the human hand for grasping the one or more items to be stored in the bag such that an exterior surface of the gusset engages the one or more items;   the bag being evertable by pulling a grasped one or more items upward through an open top of the bag whereby the positions of the interior and exterior surfaces of the first and second sheets are exchanged, the one or more items are located within the bag and the first and second closure members are position on an interior of the bag and mateable for closing the everted bag.   
     
     
         16 . The evertable bag as set forth in  claim 15  wherein the height of the third fold is greater than the height of the first fold. 
     
     
         17 . The evertable bag as set forth in  claim 15  further comprising a fourth fold formed in the first fold, and wherein the height of the second fold, plus the height of the fourth fold is less than the height of the first fold, or the height of the third fold  368 , plus the height of the fourth fold is less than the height of the first fold. 
     
     
         18 . The evertable bag as set forth in  claim 15  wherein the first and second sheets have regions formed differently from other regions of the bag to facilitate eversion of the bag, the regions being formed by making impressions in the material of the first sheet and in the material of the second sheet. 
     
     
         19 . The evertable bag as set forth in  claim 15  further comprising a strip of material operatively connected to the first and second sheets and disposed in the interior of the bag, the strip being arranged to be located on the exterior of the bag, when the bag is everted. 
     
     
         20 . A roll of bags comprising a web of bags, each bag being as set forth in  claim 15 , and lines of weakness in the web between each bag configured to permit the bags to be individually torn from the web.