Bag construction

Claim 2

In bag elements each generally including bottom and top ends and two sides substantially closed except at tHeir uppermost extents, respectively, and means connecting together the bags in side by side adjacent fashion to form a chain of bag elements, the improvement which comprises: certain of said means being located at least in a vicinity between the closed upper portions of the adjacent sides, respectively, of successive bag elements in said chain and terminating at a spaced predetermined distance from said bottom ends, said means having sufficient structural integrity to maintain a connection in said vicinity when subjected to a force as would be placed thereon when filling said bag elements successively, and those means located away from said vicinity being of insufficient structural integrity to maintain a connection when subjected to said force.

Claim 3

The bag elements of claim 1 wherein said bag elements are formed from a continuous length of plastic film or sheet, and are defined by cross-seals at spaced intervals on said length of plastic, said means connecting successive bags comprising a plurality of lands having predetermined lengths and predetermined spacing from each other such that the connections made in said vicinity have a structural integrity greater than those connections located away from said vicinity.

Claim 4

The bag elements of claim 2 wherein said lands are positioned in an area defined by said cross-seals.

Claim 5

The bag elements of claim 2 wherein said means comprises at least a singular land located at a predetermined distance from said vicinity.

Claim 6

The bag elements of claim 4 wherein said means define a line of weakness located within said cross-seals thereby resulting in a separation of said bags from each other after the filling thereof and said separation resulting in the development of taut lines across the upper portions of the two sides of said bags thereby providing a substantially wrinkle-free area suitable for placement of a closure seal.

Claim 7

The bag elements of claim 5 wherein said line of weakness comprises a plurality of perforations of predetermined sizes. such that said cross-seals increase in strength when extended to a point upwardly towards said closed upper portions of said adjacent sides.

Claim 8

A chain of bag elements each including front and rear walls and two sides substantially closed, respectively, except at a region adjacent the upper ends of said bag elements, the bags being arranged in said chain in generally side-by-side fashion; and a strip of connecting material joined along its opposite edges to said front and rear walls, respectively, to form a continuous tunnel at the upper end of each bag element, means connecting together successive bag elements in said chain at a region between the upper closed portions of their adjacent sides, respectively, said means terminating at a predetermined distance from the lower ends of said bag elements and said connecting material located generally towards the upper end of said bag elements having sufficient structural integrity to maintain a connection between said bags when subjected to the degree of force as would be placed thereon when filling the bags, and said means located generally towards the lower end of said adjacent sides having insufficient structural integrity to maintain a connection when subjected to said force thereby resulting in the separation of the lower portion of said bag elements from each other upon the filling of said bags.

Claim 9

A chain of bag elements each including front and rear walls and two sides substantially closed, respectively, except at a region adjacent the upper ends of said bag elements, the bags being arranged in said chain in generally side-by-side fashion; and a strip of connecting material joined along its opposite edges to said front and rear walls, respectively, to form a continuous tunnel at the upper end of each bag element, means connecting together successive bag elements in said chain at a region between the upper closed portions of their adjacent sides, respectively, said means terminating at a predetermined distance from the lower ends of said bag elements and said connecting material located generally towards the upper end of said bag elements having sufficient structural integrity to maintain a connection between said bags when subjected to the degree of force as would be placed thereon when filling the bags, and said means located generally towards the lower end of said adjacent sides having insufficient structural integrity to maintain a connection when subjected to said force thereby resulting in the separation of the lower portion of said bag elements from each other upon the filling of said bags.

Claim 10

The bag elements of claim 7 wherein said means comprises at least one portion of connecting material thereby defining at least one slit separating said adjacent bags, and defining a line of weakness permitting the lower portions of said bag elements to separate from each other subsequent to the filling thereof.

Claim 11

The bag elements of claim 7 wherein said strip of connecting material is adapted to be severed prior to the filling thereof, therefore to thereby provide freely speadable flaps associated with said front and rear walls, respectively.

Claim 12

In a chain of side-by-side connected bag elements of a type formed from a continuouS length of plastic web material and including closing means for closing the sides of the bag elements from a region adjacent the bottom ends thereof to a region adjacent the top ends of the bags, the improvement of which comprises, a line of separation defined between said side closing means of adjacent bag elements in said chain, said line of separation comprising a first region located at a point spaced downwardly from the upper terminating ends of said closing means and extending toward said bottom ends, said first region providing at most only a connection between said bag elements of a degree permitting the bags to bloom apart from each other when subjected to the degree of force as would be placed thereon when filling said bag elements successively, a second region of said line of separation being located in a vicinity intermediate of said upper terminating ends and said first region, said second region providing a connection between said adjacent bag elements of a character adapted to remain substantially intact when subjected to the degree of force as would be placed thereon when filling said bag elements sucessively whereby said filling is accompanied by a tautness forming in the upper extents of said bag elements thereby providing a substantially wrinkle-free area suitable for the placement of a closure seal, said second region further providing a connection between said adjacent bag elements of a character permitting said bag elements to completely separate upon placement of said closure seal.

Claim 13

In a chain of side-by-side connected bag elements of a type formed from a continuouS length of plastic web material and including closing means for closing the sides of the bag elements from a region adjacent the bottom ends thereof to a region adjacent the top ends of the bags, the improvement of which comprises, a line of separation defined between said side closing means of adjacent bag elements in said chain, said line of separation comprising a first region located at a point spaced downwardly from the upper terminating ends of said closing means and extending toward said bottom ends, said first region providing at most only a connection between said bag elements of a degree permitting the bags to bloom apart from each other when subjected to the degree of force as would be placed thereon when filling said bag elements successively, a second region of said line of separation being located in a vicinity intermediate of said upper terminating ends and said first region, said second region providing a connection between said adjacent bag elements of a character adapted to remain substantially intact when subjected to the degree of force as would be placed thereon when filling said bag elements sucessively whereby said filling is accompanied by a tautness forming in the upper extents of said bag elements thereby providing a substantially wrinkle-free area suitable for the placement of a closure seal, said second region further providing a connection between said adjacent bag elements of a character permitting said bag elements to completely separate upon placement of said closure seal.

Claim 14

A bag structure comprising opposed continuous panels and seams located at spaced intervals thereon to compartment said panels into a plurality of linearly connected bag elements, the bottom region of said bag elements being defined adjacent and along one longitudinally extending edge portion of said panels, means closing said bottom ends, the top end regions of said bag elements being located adjacent and along the opposite longitudinally extending edge portion of the panels, said seams extending from adjacent said bottom ends toward said opposite edge portion and terminating in spaced relationship therewith, a siamese-like connection located between adjacent bag elements in said chain comprising at most a light connection therebetween beginning in an area from a point spaced downwardly from the upper terminating ends of said seams and extending toward said bottom region of the bag elements, and a substantially stronger connection between said bags in the area adjacent the upper terminating ends of said seams, said siamese connection being operable to permit the bag elements to bow inwardly along the lower part of the siamese connection accompanying filling the bags, while the strength in said upper connection is sufficient to resist inward pull along the upper part of said siamese connection accompanying said filling step.

Claim 15

A bag structure comprising opposed continuous panels and seams located at spaced intervals thereon to compartment said panels into a plurality of linearly connected bag elements, the bottom region of said bag elements being defined adjacent and along one longitudinally extending edge portion of said panels, means closing said bottom ends, the top end regions of said bag elements being located adjacent and along the opposite longitudinally extending edge portion of the panels, said seams extending from adjacent said bottom ends toward said opposite edge portion and terminating in spaced relationship therewith, a siamese-like connection located between adjacent bag elements in said chain comprising at most a light connection therebetween beginning in an area from a point spaced downwardly from the upper terminating ends of said seams and extending toward said bottom region of the bag elements, and a substantially stronger connection between said bags in the area adjacent the upper terminating ends of said seams, said siamese connection being operable to permit the bag elements to bow inwardly along the lower part of the siamese connection accompanying filling the bags, while the strength in said upper connection is sufficient to resist inward pull along the upper part of said siamese connection accompanying said filling step.

Claim 16

The bag structure of claim 11 wherein said point in each siamese connection is relatively near said terminating ends compared to said bottom ends.

Claim 17

The bag structure of claim 11 wherein said point in each siamese connection is closely adjacent said terminating ends in comparison with relatively remote positioning of said point from said bottom ends.

Claim 18

The bag structure of claim 11 wherein said panels comprise tubular flexible plastic material, said upper region of the bags defining a continuous tunnel, the lower extent of which is defined by the upper terminating ends of said seams.

Claim 19

The bag elements of claim 11 wherein said bags define freely spreadable flaps adjacent said upper regions, the lower extent of said flaps being defined by the upper terminating ends of said seams.

Claim 20

The bag structure of claim 11 wherein a line of weakness exists in said upper connection to permit said bag elements to be separated therealong after filling by rupturing said upper connection along said line of weakness, said line of weakness extending upwardly beyond said terminating ends.