AU2003227339B1 - Produce bag - Google Patents

Description

Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT

APPLICANT:

Invention Title: KENNETH FOX SUPPLY COMPANY PRODUCE BAG The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: PRODUCE BAG FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to produce bags adapted first for use on wicket pins of automatic produce packing machines and thereafter for closure with a closure tab.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Wicket produce bags have been developed for automatic produce packing machines. One portion of the bag has holes formed in it so that the bags can be suspended from wickets or pegs on an automatic packing machine. The earliest such bags were of polyethylene film.

(0003] Produce bags formed of a synthetic resin fabric mesh have been recently developed by the applicant company, for example as described in U. S. Patent No. 6,080,093.

These bags were formed of a synthetic resin fabric mesh, such as the woven fabric of crosslaminated synthetic resin fibers known as Cross Laminated Airy Fabric or (CLAF®) from Atlanta Nisseki CLAF, Inc. of Kennesaw, Georgia, U.S.A. This fabric is an open mesh material of cross-laminated warp and weft strands or fibers of synthetic resin.

[0004] -These types of bags are particularly useful for produce that must have access to fresh air to preserve the shelf life of the produce. However, when wicket holes are formed in this type of fabric mesh for automatic produce bag filling or packing machine purposes, problems have been found to occur. Slits were formed in the mesh in the area of the wicket holes leading away from the holes. The slits were formed in order to aid in tearing of the bag away from the packing machine once the bag was filled with product.

[00051 When the fabric mesh was slit for this purpose near the wicket holes, only a certain number of synthetic resin fiber strands in the fiber mesh were left uncut. The remaining uncut fiber strands were the sole support for the bag when it was suspended from the wicket rods or pegs and being filled with product. The number of strands left uncut was variable and indeterminate, and the reliability of the bags for use in automatic packing machines suffered. Bags with too many strands cut did not have adequate strength for use and would fall from the wickets during filling operations. Faulty bags could slow up operation of automatic packing machines by falling from the wickets when being filled with produce.

Houston\l 547440.1 [0006] Composite bags formed of one synthetic resin mesh sheet and one synthetic resin film sheet have also been proposed by the applicant company. These bags were the subject of U.S. Patents Nos. 6,024,489; 6,030,120; 6,190,044 and 6,416,220.

[0007] These produce bags had one side wall of a synthetic resin mesh material. The bag offers increased strength and reliability when used with automatic bag filling equipment. The mesh material formed a rear wall of the bag when a group of the bags was placed on wicket pins of the equipment for receiving produce. The front or forward wall was of a synthetic resin film. A reinforcing strip of synthetic resin film was formed along an upper portion of the mesh wall of the bag and spaced holes for wicket pin attachment were formed in the reinforcing strip. The synthetic resin film side wall had a side wall portion which extended below the mesh wall, with a lower fold being formed in the film wall to form a bottom of the bag. The synthetic resin film side also had an extension from the lower fold which was folded upwardly to join with and enclose a lower portion of the mesh side wall. The bottom portion of the bag was thus formed of synthetic resin film which yielded to the impact of articles entering the bag to fill it. No seam was present between the side walls of the bag in the bottom area of the bag where it would be subject to the impact of entering articles. The bag provided greater strength, uniformity, and reliability in automatic produce packing machine operations.

[00081 Bags of this type, after loading with produce, were transferred for closing automatically or semi-automatically by machine or by hand. Primarily, the bags were closed by automatic bag locking machines available from companies such as KWIK LOK® Corporation of Yakima, Washington, U.S.A. During closing, the top portions of both walls were gathered or bunched at a neck portion and a bag closure member was attached. The bag closure member was typically a type sold under the trademark KWIK-LOK®, available from the previously mentioned KWIK LOK® Corporation of Yakima, Washington. A closure of this type took the form of a rectangular, generally U-shaped closure or tab. The closure was made of a relatively rigid synthetic resin, such as polystyrene, with a bag-confining opening or mouth. A passage or opening was formed in the closure adjacent a set of lips or jaws on one side of the closure for entry of the bag neck between two fingers of the closure from the bag. The closure or tab was removed from the bag top when produce was needed and was available for re-closing the bag when not all of the produce was needed.

[0009] Bags of this type were widely used and accepted. However, from time to time size and volume of the mesh portion of the bag when the top was gathered made the gather Houston\1547440. 1 larger than the space available in the closure tab. The gathered top section did not fully fit within the closure tab and the bag closure was not fully completed. At other times, the fingers of the tabs adjacent the opening became entangled with the mesh in the bag wall.

Again, formation of a complete closure was not achieved. Complete bag closures were desirable to prevent problems such as spillage of produce from the gag or loss of the closure tab and thus of loss of closure for the produce bag.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [00101 Briefly, the present invention provides a new and improved composite synthetic resin bag for use on wicket pins to receive articles from automatic bag filling or packing equipment and for subsequent closure with a closure tab. The bag is formed of first and second side walls which are joined together along a bottom portion and two side edges. The first wall is formed of a synthetic resin film, such as polypropylene or polyethylene or the like. The second side wall includes an intermediate portion of a cross-laminated synthetic resin fiber material mesh, such as a CLAF material or the like. The second wall of the bag also has a strip of synthetic resin film extending upwardly from a juncture with the intermediate portion of synthetic resin mesh. The juncture of the film strip and the intermediate mesh portion in the second bag wall is located a distance below a top portion of the first side wall to provide film sections on each of the first and second walls in the area of closure by the closure tab member.

[00111 It will be appreciated that the location of such a juncture in the second wall depends upon the size of the walls of the bag and the weight capacity of the bag. It is preferred that the juncture location usually is from about one fourth to about one-fifth of the vertical facial extent of the film or first side wall of the bag. In a preferred embodiment a wicket top is formed in the reinforcing strip for mounting the bag on the wicket pins of the bag packing machine or equipment.

[0012] It is also preferred that the second bag wall extends downwardly a certain predetermined length, but slightly less than the entire length of a completed bag. Preferably, the first bag wall extends over a front face portion the entire length of a completed bag and in addition has a further downward extension. When the bag is assembled, the downward extension is folded upwardly against the intermediate fiber mesh portion of the second bag wall. Preferably, the intermediate fiber mesh portion and the upwardly folded film wall extension are joined together at a seam spaced upwardly from the folded synthetic resin Houston\1 547440.1 bottom portion. The bag when assembled thus preferably has a bottom portion which is formed entirely of a folded portion of synthetic resin film.

[0013] Bags according to the present invention exhibit less likelihood of incomplete or defective bag top closures with closure tabs during bag packing and closure operations and are thus more reliable. Waste and damage to produce as a result of incomplete or defective closures of bags, either during loading or subsequent handling, are reduced with bags according to the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0014] The objects, advantages and features of the invention will become more apparent by reference to the drawings appended thereto, wherein like numerals indicate like parts and wherein an illustrated embodiment of the invention is shown, of which: [0015] Figs. 1 and 2 are isometric views of a top portion of prior art produce bags with closure members.

[00161 Fig. 3 is an isometric view of a produce bag according to the present invention.

[0017] Fig. 4 is an isometric view of the produce bag of Fig. 3, taken from an opposite direction to that of Fig. 3.

[00181 Fig. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the bag of Figs. 3 and 4.

[00191 Fig. 6 is a view of an upper portion of the bag of Fig. 5 partially open to be packed with produce.

[0020] Fig. 7 is a cross sectional view of a lower portion of the bag of Fig. 5 receiving an item or object of produce during fillings.

[00211 Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of alternative bag top to that of Fig. [0022] Fig. 9 is an isometric view of a top portion of the produce bag of Fig. 3 according to the present invention with closure member attached.

[0023] Fig. 10 is a vertical cross-sectional view of an alternative bag to that of Fig. [00241 Figs. 11 and 12 are isometric views of the bag of Fig. Houston\1 547440.1 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT [0025] In the drawings, Figs. 1 and 2 represent a prior art bag P of the type shown, for example, in one or more of U.S. Patents Nos. 6,024,489; 6,030,120; 6,190,044 and 6,416,220.

These bags have one wall of synthetic resin film and a second wall S formed of synthetic resin fiber mesh, such as from Atlanta Nisseki CLAF, Inc. of Kennesaw, Georgia. In Figs. 1 and 2, a top portion 10 of the bag P is shown. In Figs. 1 and 2, an upper portion 11 of the synthetic resin fiber mesh wall S is shown, having a reinforcing strip 12 extending above.

The other bag wall of synthetic resin film and the wicket holes in the reinforcing strip 12 of the bag P are not shown in the drawings.

[0026] The bag P in Figs. 1 and 2 is shown after having articles, such as produce or the like, loaded therein by automatic produce bag filling equipment. The following chart is a list of examples of bag filling equipment for which bags according to the present invention may be used: SOURCE

MODEL

Ag-Pak, Inc. Double Ag-Pak Weigh/Bagger Ag-Pak, Inc. Octopak Rotary Bagger Ag-Pak, Inc. Mega Pak Bagger Yakima Wire Works MBU/9300 Automatic Poly Bagger Spang Brands Automatic Weigher/Bagger Automatic Bagging Systems, Inc. Vindicator Bagger Lockwood Packing Corp. Carousel Bagger Volm Bag Co. VP10 VP12 with carousel bagger [00271 The bags P of Figs. 1 and 2 are also shown as having a bag closure tab or member T applied to form a closure gather at a neck or closure portion 16 of the bag P. The bag closure tab T is typically of the type commercially available under the trademark KWIK LOK® from KWIK LOK Corporation of Yakima, Washington. The tab T is formed of polystyrene or other relatively firm synthetic resin material.

[0028] The tab T is available in a variety of sizes and with central openings 18 or various dimensions depending on the size and weight contents of the bag P being closed. The tabs T may be applied manually, semi-automatically or automatically. Bag closure machines for semi-automatic or automatic closure are available from KWIK LOK Corporation, the company from which the closure tabs T are available.

[0029] The tab T is generally U-shaped having a central slot or opening 18 formed therein for receiving the neck or closure portion 16 of the bag P. The tab T preferably has an Houston\ 1547440.1 inwardly tapering side inlet passage 20 adjacent the slot 18 for entry of the bag P being closed. Retainer fingers or prongs 22 are formed on each side of inlet passage 20 for retaining the bag P within the tab T.

[0030] In the prior art, produce bag P bags of this type were widely used and accepted.

However, from time to time when the bag top was gathered size and volume of the mesh wall portion 12 of the bag P made the gather 16 larger than the space available in the closure tab T. As shown by example in Fig. 1, portions 24 of the gathered top section 16 did not fully fit within the closure tab T, the bag closure 16 was not fully completed. This was undesirable and caused problems, such as spillage of produce from the bag or loss of the closure tab and thus of loss of closure for the produce bag.

[0031] At other times, the fingers 22 of the tabs T adjacent the bag closure became entangled with the top of the mesh wall portion 12 in the bag. Again, a satisfactory bag closure was not achieved. The tab T was thus tangled with the mesh portion 12. The mesh portion could be torn as indicated at 26 during attachment of the tab T. Also, removal of the tab T from the mesh wall 12 when they were tangled would damage the top or the bag P.

Tears or damage to the material of the bag P were undesirable. Complete bag closures were desirable to prevent problems of this type.

[0032] According to the present invention, a bag B (Figs. 3-8) is provided. The bag B has a first or front side wall 30 (Fig. which is formed of a suitable synthetic resin film, such as polyethylene or polypropylene, numerous types of which are commercially available, such as those used in the bag P. An example film is 2.25 mil MDPE with an EVA additive.

Air or breather holes may be formed in front film side wall 30, if desired.

[0033] The front film side wall 30 faces forwardly when the bags are installed on wicket pins of the produce packing machine to receive produce or articles through a gap G (Fig. 6).

In a number of packing machines, the bag walls are partially separated either by blown air or suction to enlarge the top gap G for filling purposes. With the film side wall 30 on the front or forward face on the machine, the separating suction forces or bursts of air act on the enlarged surface area of the forward film side wall 30 rather than on a rear wall 32. This opens the bags and greatly facilitates use of the bags B and B-l in packing machines due to the top gap G being enlarged for receipt of produce or articles during packing.

[0034] The second or rear side wall 32 of the bag B in the preferred embodiment has an intermediate section or wall portion 34 formed of a suitable synthetic resin fiber mesh. One Houston\l 547440. 1 type of such a mesh is the cross-laminated airy fabric material, or CLAF®, available from a suitable source such as Atlanta Nisseki CLAF, Inc., as has been disclosed above. This type of fiber mesh or fabric is an open mesh material of cross-laminated warp and weft strands or fibers of a suitable synthetic resin.

[0035] The bag B once formed is placed in groups or sets on wicket pins of automatic filling equipment to receive and be filled with produce. The first resin film wall 30 faces outwardly or to the front, ahead of the second rear wall 32, when properly installed on the wicket pins.

[0036] The second side wall 32 of the bag B forms a back or rear wall of the bag B when placed on wicket pins of the equipment for product filling. The second wall 32 of the bag also has a reinforcing strip 36 of synthetic resin film extending upwardly from a juncture 38 with the intermediate portion 34 of synthetic resin mesh. The laterally extending juncture 38, of the film reinforcing strip 36 and the intermediate mesh portion 34 in the second bag wall 32 is preferably a closure seam. The juncture 38 is located across the lateral extent of the reinforcing strip 36 and intermediate mesh portion 34 a distance as indicated at 39 below a top portion 42 of the first side wall [0037] The bag B is provided with a suitable number, usually at least two, of laterally aligned wicket holes 44 in the reinforcing strip 36 for suspension in an automatic produce packing machine so that the bag B may be filled with produce or product. The size of the wicket holes 36 is based upon the produce packing machine with which the bags B are to be used. A typical size of wicket hole 30 is one-half inch or so, for example.

[0038] The location of the seam 38 according to the present invention assures a film section 36a (Fig. 9) of the reinforcing strip 36 and a film section 30a of the film wall 30 are present in a closure gather 40 when the closure tab T is applied to close the bag B. Thus, there are sections of film present on each of first and second wall 32 in the area of closure by the closure tab member T. These film sections have been more pliable and adapted for fitting into the central opening 18 of the closure tab T. Thus, closure tabs like in structure to those which had incomplete or inadequate closures with prior art bags B (Figs. 1 and 2) may be used with the present invention, as shown in Fig. 9.

[0039] The location juncture 38 in the second wall depends as will be described, on the size and weight capacity of the bag B. The reinforcing strip 36 normally extends above an upper end 30a of the front wall 30 a distance 41 (Fig. 4) of about three times the diameter of Houston\1 547440. 1 the wicket holes. This provides synthetic resin film in the reinforcing strip 36 extending above and below the wicket holes in an amount corresponding to the diameter of the wicket holes 44.

[00401 The reinforcing strip 36 preferably extends below the upper end 42 of the front side wall 30 by an amount of from one to three times the distance 41. Thus for a bag having wicket holes of one-half inch diameter, the reinforcing strip is from three to six inches in vertical extent. For produce bags of sizes in ranges intended to contain products of total weights of 2, 3, 5, and 10 or so pounds, a typical location of juncture 38 is in the range of from about one-fourth to about one-fifth of the vertical facial extent, as indicated at 43, of the film or first side wall 32 of the bag. With the seam 38 so located, the reinforcing strip 36 of the side wall 32 extends as indicated at 41 above the upper end 42 of the top portion 42 of front side wall 30 a distance of at least one inch and preferably about [0041] The reinforcing strip 36 is formed of a suitable synthetic resin film, for example like that of the front bag wall 30. The reinforcing strip 36 is bonded or sealed by the laterally extending seam 38 to an upper or top portion 46 of the intermediate section 34 of mesh material. Joining of the strip 36 to the side wall 32 at the seam 38 may be done in accordance with conventional film bag bonding or sealing techniques. The reinforcing strip 36 and the intermediate mesh section 34 of the second wall 32 are joined along their respective lateral edges 36a and 34a (Fig. 3) to corresponding lateral edges 30e (Fig. 4) of the front side wall along their areas of common vertical extent to form side edge closures of the bag B. The sealing may be done using conventional film bag sealing techniques, but preferably is of the type where the side walls 30 and 32 are joined without folding overlap to each other along their lateral side edges. The joining may be done by any suitable bonding or sealing technique, such as by heat, glue, sealant or the like.

[0042] The first or film bag wall 30 extends over a front face portion F over the entire length of the assembled bag B. The film side wall 30 also has a lower side wall extension portion 50 (Figs. 3, 5 and 8) somewhat longer in vertical extent, for example three inches or so, than the second side wall 32. The extension 50 extends downwardly a first length of about one inch or more, as indicated by an arrow 52 (Fig. As the bag B is being assembled, the extension 50 is folded upwardly against a lower outer surface 34b of the intermediate mesh portion 34 of wall 32.

Houston\1547440. I [0043] A portion 34d of the intermediate mesh portion 34 above a lower or bottom portion 34c and an upper portion 50a of the extension 50 are joined together such as by a seam as indicated at 54. The joining may be by any suitable bonding or sealing technique of the type previously mentioned. The bag B when assembled thus has a lower fold L formed as a bottom portion 50b of the extension 50 of the front resin wall [0044] The fold L of resin film exhibits and possesses no seam. Thus, when a produce object O or some other product falls into the bag B (Fig. the weight and impact is received along a continuous, unitary strip of synthetic resin film, formed by the fold L. No seam is present between the side walls in the area of the fold L receiving the impact of entering articles. This continuous strip of material in the fold L exhibits greater strength during bag packing or loading. In addition, the seam or junction 54 is located upwardly away from the fold L at the bottom 50b of the bag. The seam or junction 54 is thus not directly subject to impact and weight of the produce or other product as it enters the bag B during packing.

[0045] According to the present invention, the bag B is thus formed of three components.

Depending on the intended weight capacity of contents of the bag, representative dimensions of the components are as follows: EXAMPLE LENGTHS FRONT FILM RESIN MESH REINFORCING WALL 30 STRIP 34 STRIP 36 18" 12.5" 6" (10.5" wide) 3" fold 21" Total 3 LB BAG 18" 12.5 6" wide) 3" fold 21" Total LB BAG 21.5" 16.14" 6" (12.5" wide) 3" fold 24.5" Total [0046] The particular horizontal and vertical dimensions of the side walls 10 and 12, as well as their thickness, are determined based on the expected weight and size of produce to be packed into the bag B by automatic produce packing machinery. The foregoing chart gives example sizes for bags intended for various produce weights. It is important that these film sections be present where the closure gather 40 of the bag B is to be contacted by the closure tab T. Those skilled in the art can understand and readily ascertain sizes of bag wall Houston\l 547440.1 components and locations of seams between such components using the foregoing examples and sizing criteria.

[0047] The bags B may be formed by hand or machines and preferably formed by machine. A suitable type of such machine has been manufactured by Hudson-Sharp Machine Co. of Green Bay, Wisconsin.

[0048] As shown in Fig. 5, the reinforcing strip 36 and the intermediate mesh portion 34 of the second wall 32 are joined together using suitable closure techniques by the laterally extending seam 38 located approximately 0.5" above a lower end 36b of the reinforcing strip 36 and 0.5" below an upper end 34a of the intermediate mesh portion 34 of the second wall 32. Also, the upward extension 50 of the flap and the intermediate mesh portion 34 of the second wall 32 are joined together by the laterally extending seam 54 located approximately above the lower end portion 34c of the intermediate portion 34 and 0.5" below the upper end 50a of the flap [00491 From the foregoing it can be seen that for typical produce bag sizes of from 2 lb.

to 10 lb. capacity the reinforcing strip 36 of the second side wall 32 extends above an upper end 30a of the first side wall 30 a distance of about 1.5" or so. This provides space for forming the holes 44 for mounting the bag on the wicket pins. The reinforcing strip 36 extends below the upper end 30a of the first side wall 30 at least 1.5" to about 4.5" or or from about one to three or more times the length of the extent above the first side wall.

Further, the extent of the intermediate mesh portion 34 between the seam 38 with the reinforcing strip 36 and the seam 54 with the extension 50 is from about 12.5" to about 16.25" for bags of the example sizes given. The extent of the mesh portion 34 is thus from about fifty to about seventy percent of the vertical extent of the second side wall. The first and second side walls 30 and 32 are formed of synthetic resin film for about or at least twenty percent of their extent from their respective top edges 42 and 37, respectively. As noted, the particular dimensions selected in the size range are based on the intended size and weight content capacity of the particular bag.

[00501 A bag B-I (Fig. 8) shows a structural feature of the reinforcing strip 36 which may be alternatively used for the bag B. The lower portions of bag B-l are not shown, but they are of like structure to the bag B. As shown in Fig. 8, the reinforcing strip 36 in bag B-l is formed with an elongate inwardly extending border or lip 36e extending inwardly and in Houston\1 547440.1 contact with upper portions 30a of the side wall 30 rather than as shown in Fig. 5. Otherwise, the structure of bag B-I is like that of the bag B.

10051] The wicket reinforcing strip 44 of bags B and B-1 is typically provided with downwardly extending leaders, or cuts, 56 (Figs. 3 and The leaders 56 assist in removal of the bag B from the wicket pins in the packing machine once the bag B is filled. It is to be noted that the leaders or cuts 56 are not formed in the mesh material of the first side wall This location of the leaders 56 affords further increased strength and reliability in the bag B over wicket bags formed completely of fabric mesh.

[0052] In an alternative bag B-2 (Figs. 10-12) according to the present invention, a synthetic resin wall 130 serves as the rear wall when such bags are placed on wicket pins of a produce packing machine. A second wall 132 of the bag B-2 with an intermediate portion 134 of synthetic resin mesh serves as the front wall. A film strip 136 of synthetic resin film extends upwardly from a juncture 138 with the intermediate portion 134 of synthetic resin mesh. In the bag B-2, wicket holes 44 like those in bags B and B-1 are formed in an upper portion 130a of the resin wall 130. The walls 130 and 132 and the film strip 136 of the bag B-2 are joined along their side edges in a like manner to that disclosed for the bag B. The lateral junctures between the mesh portion 134 and the film components across the width of the bag B-2 are also joined in similar manner.

[0053] The resin film wall 130 has a lower side wall extension 150 somewhat longer in extent than the second wide wall 132. The extension 150 for the bag B-2 for various sizes and weight capacities for contents is of generally like dimensions to those given for the various sizes and weight capacities set for the above for the bag B. The extension 150 is provided with such dimensions in order to form a fold L of like structure and function to that of the correspondingly identified fold L of the bag B.

[0054] In the bag B-2, the film strip 136 is generally of like dimensions to the reinforcing strip 36 of the bag B as previously described. If desired, the height of film strip 136 can be slightly reduced, since no provision need be made for the presence of wicket holes in the film strip 136 of bag B-2. However, the relative sizing and dimensions of the film wall 130, the extension 150, the intermediate portion 134 of synthetic resin mesh 132 are like those of corresponding parts of the bag B for like reasons. For this reason, like reference numerals referring to dimensional relations are used in corresponding areas for the bag B-2 to those of the bag B.

Houston\1547440.1 [00551 Thus, the bag B-2 presents an upper film section 136a of film strip 136 of the second wall and an upper portion 130a of the resin film wall 130 to form a closure gather, with sections of resin film present on each of the first and second walls 130 and 132. A gather with film sections on both walls, like that shown at 40 in Fig. 9, is thus formed for the bag B-2 and present for closure by closure tab members T. Like advantages for closure are thus afforded in the bag B-2 to those of the bags B and B-1.

[00561 The synthetic resin wall 130 of the bag B-2 is typically longer than the wall 30 of the bag B in order to allow additional space in the upper portion 130a above an upper end 136a of the film strip 136 for placement of the wicket holes 44 and a set of leaders or cuts 56 like those of the bag B.

[0057] In the bag B-2, the film strip 136 also is present on the side wall 132 above the intermediate synthetic resin mesh portion 134. This affords an additional feature to that of providing film wall portions on the portions of both side walls of the bag B-2 engaged by closure tab members. The film strip 136 also permits the second wall 132 although partly of mesh, to respond to separating suction forces to open the bag B-2 with the second wall 132 serving as the front wall on packing machines.

[0058] From the foregoing, it can be seen that bags are provided which exhibit greater reliability during closure with closure tabs after packing in automatic produce packing machines. The bags offer increased strength in forming bag closures for holding produce after filling. The bags of the present invention are also less likely to suffer from incomplete or partial closures, or bag material tearing or failure during attachment of closure tabs.

[0059] Having described the invention above, various modifications of the techniques, procedures, material, and equipment will be apparent to those in the art. It is intended that all such variations within the scope and spirit of the appended claims be embraced thereby.

Houston\1547440.1

Claims (19)

1. A synthetic resin bag for use on wicket pins to receive articles from automatic bag filling equipment, and adapted for subsequent closure with a closure tab member, the bag comprising: first and second side walls joined along two side edges to form the bag; the first side wall being formed of a synthetic resin film; the first side wall having a bottom wall portion extending downwardly below the second wall and having a lower fold formed therein to form a bottom of the bag receiving the weight and impact of articles entering the bag from the filling equipment; the second side wall being formed along an intermediate portion of its extent from a synthetic resin mesh; the first side wall having an extension from the lower fold which is folded upwardly to join with a lower section of the intermediate portion of synthetic resin mesh of the second side wall; the second side wall including a strip of synthetic resin film extending upwardly from the intermediate portion of synthetic resin mesh; and the film strip of the second side wall extending upwardly from a juncture with the intermediate portion of synthetic resin mesh to provide film sections on each of the first and second walls in the area of closure by the closure tab member.

2. The synthetic resin bag of Claim 1, wherein the film strip is a reinforcing strip having holes formed therein for mounting the bag on the wicket pins of the bag filling equipment.

3. The synthetic resin bag of Claim 2, wherein the reinforcing strip of the second side wall extends above an upper end of the first side wall a distance providing space for forming the holes for mounting the bag on the wicket pins.

4. The synthetic resin bag of Claim 3 wherein the reinforcing strip extends below the upper end of the first side wall at least three or more times the length of the extent above the first side wall. The synthetic resin bag of Claim 1 wherein first side wall has holes formed therein for mounting the bag on the wicket pins of the bag filling equipment.

Houston\1547440.1

6. The synthetic resin bag of Claim 1, wherein the intermediate portion of synthetic resin mesh extends from about fifty to about seventy percent of the vertical extent of the second side wall.

7. The synthetic resin bag of Claim 1, wherein the first and second side walls are formed of synthetic resin film over at least twenty percent of their downward extent from their respective top edges.

8. The bag of Claim 1, wherein the synthetic resin mesh is a synthetic resin fiber mesh.

9. The bag of Claim 1, wherein the synthetic resin film side wall extension is mounted along an upper portion of the upwardly folded extension with a lower portion of the synthetic resin mesh portion of the second wall.

The bag of Claim 3, wherein the seam between the synthetic resin mesh portion of the second wall and the synthetic resin film side wall extension is located upwardly away from the fold formed in the film side wall.

11. The bag of Claim 1, wherein the synthetic resin film side wall extension is mounted along an upper portion of the upwardly folded extension with the synthetic resin mesh side portion of the second wall by a seam formed between them.

12. The synthetic resin bag of Claim 1, wherein the intermediate portion of synthetic resin mesh is mounted along a seam at an upper portion to a lower portion of the reinforcing strip.

13. The synthetic resin bag of Claim 12, wherein the seam between the synthetic resin mesh and the reinforcing strip of the second side wall is located below the top of the first side wall at least about twenty percent of the vertical extent of the first side wall.

14. The synthetic resin bag of Claim 12 wherein the seam between the intermediate portion of synthetic resin mesh is located about one-fourth to about one-fifth of the vertical facial extent of the film side wall.

The bag of Claim 1, wherein the synthetic resin mesh wall extends downwardly a length less than about sixty to about seventy percent of the facial length of the first side wall.

16. The bag of Claim 15, wherein the synthetic resin film side wall extends downwardly below the extent of the synthetic resin mesh wall to the lower fold. Houston\1547440.1

17. The bag of Claim 1, wherein the first and second side walls of the bag are joined together along their vertical side extent to form side edges of the bag.

18. The bag of Claim 17, wherein the side walls are joined without folding overlap to each other along their lateral side edges.

19. The bag of Claim 18, wherein synthetic resin film side wall extension of the first side wall is secured to the intermediate portion of synthetic resin mesh side of the second side wall at a lower end thereof along a transverse seam across the lateral extent of the side walls. A synthetic resin bag substantially as described with reference to the drawings. Houston\ 547440.1