US3680445A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for manufacturing shopping bag
Assignee: Apl Corp
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Filing: 1970-06-05
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Granted: 1972-08-01
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Expires: 1990-06-05
Abstract
Abstract Bags with reinforced bottoms are mass-produced by supplying a continuous sheet of flexible material to a production line and reinforcing the sheet at spaced-apart intervals. The sheet is folded widthwise to bring opposite edges thereof together, and the edges are joined to each other to form a tube-like structure. Successive segments of the tube-like structure are severed from the sheet along lines adjacent to successive reinforcements, and the severed structures are closed off adjacent to the respective reinforcements.
Inventors
- 👤 Curt Charles Pearl
- 👤 Sidney Poland
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 14:04
CPC Classifications
B; B31; B31B; B31B70/00; B31B70/008; B31B2160/00; B31B2160/10; B31B70/74; B31B70/81
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
208 words
A method of mass-producing shopping bags comprising the steps of mounting a long web of flexible material adjacent to a production line, mounting a pair of webs of reinforcing material adjacent to the production line, cutting a relatively long, narrow strip of reinforcing material from one of the webs of reinforcing material and applying it to the flexible material between the center and one edge thereof, cutting a separate relatively long, narrow strip of reinforcing material from the other web of reinforcing material and applying it to the flexible material between the center and the opposite edge thereof, said separate strips of reinforcing Material being aligned in end-toend relation with their long dimensions extending transversely of the web of flexible material, folding said web of flexible material widthwise to bring opposite edges thereof together, joining said opposite edges to each other to form a tube-like structure, severing said tube-like structure from said web of flexible material along a line adjacent to the strip-reinforced portion thereof, and closing off said tube-like structure adjacent to said strip-reinforced portion thereof, in order to form a shopping bag in which said reinforcing strips are arranged side-by-side across the bottom of the bag, the bottom of the bag being thus reinforced and articulated.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
208 words
A method of mass-producing shopping bags comprising the steps of mounting a long web of flexible material adjacent to a production line, mounting a pair of webs of reinforcing material adjacent to the production line, cutting a relatively long, narrow strip of reinforcing material from one of the webs of reinforcing material and applying it to the flexible material between the center and one edge thereof, cutting a separate relatively long, narrow strip of reinforcing material from the other web of reinforcing material and applying it to the flexible material between the center and the opposite edge thereof, said separate strips of reinforcing Material being aligned in end-toend relation with their long dimensions extending transversely of the web of flexible material, folding said web of flexible material widthwise to bring opposite edges thereof together, joining said opposite edges to each other to form a tube-like structure, severing said tube-like structure from said web of flexible material along a line adjacent to the strip-reinforced portion thereof, and closing off said tube-like structure adjacent to said strip-reinforced portion thereof, in order to form a shopping bag in which said reinforcing strips are arranged side-by-side across the bottom of the bag, the bottom of the bag being thus reinforced and articulated.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
211 words
Apparatus for mass-producing shopping bags comprising means mounting a long web of flexible material adjacent to a production line, means mounting a pair of webs of reinforcing material adjacent to the production line, means for cutting a relatively long, narrow strip of reinforcing material from one of the webs of reinforcing material and applying it to the flexible material between the center and one edge thereof and for cutting a separate relatively long, narrow strip of reinforcing material from the other web of reinforcing material between the center and the opposite edge thereof, said separate strips of reinforcing material being aligned in end-to-end relation with their long dimensions extending transversely of the web in flexible material, means for folding said web of flexible material widthwise to bring opposite edges thereof together and for joining said opposite edges to each other to form a tube-like structure, and means for severing said tube-like structure from said web of flexible material along a line adjacent to the strip-reinforced portion thereof and for closing off said tube-like structure adjacent to said strip-reinforced portion thereof, in order to form a shopping bag in which said reinforcing strips are arranged side-by-side across the bottom of the bag, the bottom of the bag being thus reinforced and articulated.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
211 words
Apparatus for mass-producing shopping bags comprising means mounting a long web of flexible material adjacent to a production line, means mounting a pair of webs of reinforcing material adjacent to the production line, means for cutting a relatively long, narrow strip of reinforcing material from one of the webs of reinforcing material and applying it to the flexible material between the center and one edge thereof and for cutting a separate relatively long, narrow strip of reinforcing material from the other web of reinforcing material between the center and the opposite edge thereof, said separate strips of reinforcing material being aligned in end-to-end relation with their long dimensions extending transversely of the web in flexible material, means for folding said web of flexible material widthwise to bring opposite edges thereof together and for joining said opposite edges to each other to form a tube-like structure, and means for severing said tube-like structure from said web of flexible material along a line adjacent to the strip-reinforced portion thereof and for closing off said tube-like structure adjacent to said strip-reinforced portion thereof, in order to form a shopping bag in which said reinforcing strips are arranged side-by-side across the bottom of the bag, the bottom of the bag being thus reinforced and articulated.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method according to claim 1 comprising the steps of forming gusset tucks on opposite sides of said tube-like structure.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said gusset tucks are formed prior to the closing off of said tube-like structure.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method according to claim 1 comprising the steps of applying a pair of handles to said bag.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
49 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein at least one of (a) the application of the reinforcing material to the flexible plastic material, (b) the joining of the opposite edges of the flexible plastic material and (c) the closing off of said tube-like structure is effected by heat sealing.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
51 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein at least one of (a) the application of the reinforcing material to the flexible plastic material, (b) the joining of the opposite edges of the flexible plastic material and (c) the closing off of the bottoms of said bags is effected by an adhesive.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-08-01 | 1976-01-31 | 1976-08-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-08-01 | 1980-01-31 | 1980-08-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-08-01 | 1984-01-31 | 1984-08-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |