Bag for flowable materials

Abstract

A bag for containing flowable materials, having a front panel, a rear panel coextensive with the front panel, and a pair of folded gussets. Each of the gussets has front and rear gusset layers joined at a central crease and a pair of outer gusset edges joined continuously along and to side edges of the front and rear panels. The bag has a bottom closure and at its initially open top portion, the front and rear gusset layers are joined to the respective front and rear panels along lines spaced from or adjacent to the joined side edges of the respective front and rear gusset layers and front and rear panels, to provide stiffened, fastened layer corner portions in the top portion of the open bag.

Description

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention[0002] This invention relates to bags for flowable materials, and, more particularly to deep gusseted bags for packaging granular, powdered, liquefied, and other such materials.[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art[0004] Packaging procedures for various types of granular or powder materials currently in use involve the use of deep gusseted bags pre-formed of various plastic films and other film or sheet materials. Individual bags are seized and the top ends thereof are drawn up over a material discharge chute positioned above a conveyor belt or other support at a filling station. The bag is filled with a metered amount of fill material and then tamped against the conveyor belt or support so that the weight of the fill material forms the bottom of the bag and product into a flat, squared configuration. The filled bag is released from the discharge chute and advanced on the conveyor belt from the fill station to a top closure station at which the top...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The invention is a bag designed for packaging flowable materials, such as granular or powdered materials, in a way that ensures proper refolding of the top of the bag and aesthetic appearance. The bag has a front panel, a rear panel, and a pair of folded gussets. The gussets have front and rear gusset layers joined at a central crease and outer gusset edges joined continuously along and to the side edges of the front and rear panels. The front panel has top and bottom edges, and the rear panel is coextensive with the front panel. The gussets extend throughout the height of the bag. The invention solves the problem of uneven refolding of the top of the bag and improves the appearance of the package."

Problems solved by technology

Although the unfilled top portion of the bag is generally maintained in an upright orientation solely as a result of resistance of the previously folded bag material to bending, and is thus presented to the refolding blades at the closure station, the unfolded top of the bag may flex under its own weight or due to air movement between the filling station and the closure station so that it cannot be engaged properly or completely by the refolding blades.

As a result, the top of the bag is often not properly refolded and the integrity of the closure seal is compromised.

Also, the aesthetic appearance of the package represented by the filled and sealed bag is degraded when an uneven refolding of the gussets occurs.

Images