Ulllted States Patent [19]
`Simhaee
`
`US005921390A
`[11] Patent Number:
`[45] Date of Patent:
`
`5,921,390
`Jul. 13, 1999
`
`[54] CONTINUOUS ROLL OF PLASTIC BAGS
`
`[76] Inventor; Ebrahim Simhaee, 112 N_ Maple Dr”
`B
`l H'll C l'f. 90210
`ever y 1 S’
`a 1
`
`5,170,957 12/1992 Carpenter .............................. .. 206/390
`5,433,363
`7/1995 Simhaee.
`5,752,666
`5/1998 Simhaee ................................ .. 206/390
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`[21] Appl. No.: 09/059,436
`
`[22]
`
`Filed:
`
`Apr. 9, 1998
`
`541028 5/1993 European Pat. Off. ............... .. 383/37
`44 07 761 A1 9/1995 Germany .
`
`_
`_
`Related U‘S‘ Apphcatlon Data
`
`Primary Examiner—Stephen P. Garbe
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Darby & Darby
`
`[60]
`
`Provisional application No. 60/043,303, Apr. 11, 1997.
`
`[57]
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`[51]
`
`Int. Cl.6 ................................................... .. B651) 33/00
`U-S- Cl- .............................. ..
`[58] Field of Search ............................. .. 206/390; 383/35,
`383/37
`
`[56]
`
`References Cited
`US‘ PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`3,098,594
`3,254,828
`
`379797050
`4,349,123
`4’759’742
`4,846,349
`4,849,090
`4,904,092
`
`7/1963 Williamson ........................... .. 206/390
`6/1966 Ler'ner - - - - - - - - - -
`- - - - -- 383/37
`
`~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ 383/35
`9/1976 Clha ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
`206/390
`9/1982 Yang """ "
`"" " 383/37
`7/1988 Achelpohl
`206/390
`7/1989 Galimberti
`206/390
`7/1989 Case et al. ..... ..
`2/1990 Campbell et a1. ...................... .. 383/35
`
`A multiply plastic bag from a Continuous Strip of bags on a
`roll is supplied [0 a user
`the top of the bag partially
`opened. Atear line between the bottom of a leading bag and
`a top of a subsequent bag separates the individual bags. A
`broad slit centrally located in the tear line passes through all
`but one ply of the strip of bags. The bag dispenser has an
`upwardly projecting tongue which engages the slit in the tear
`line when a user draws a bag from the dispenser. The tongue
`impedes the subsequent bag from moving forward. The
`adjacent bags separate along the tear line. The ply which
`
`does not have a slit rides over the tongue and pulls apart the
`plies at the opening of the subsequent bag before the leading
`bag completely separates from the subsequent bag
`'
`
`7 Claims, 2 Drawing Sheets
`
`22
`
`244
`
`Automated Packaging Systems, Inc.
`Exhibit 2004
`Page 001
`IPR2016-00446
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Jul. 13,1999
`
`Sheet 1 of2
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`5,921,390
`
`FIG. 1
`
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`FIG. 2
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`P.
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`3
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`Automated Packaging Systems, Inc.
`Exhibit 2004
`Page 002
`IPR2016-00446
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Jul. 13, 1999
`
`Sheet 2 of 2
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`5,921,390
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`= .
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`-^22
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`/
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`FIG. 4
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`24
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`26
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`FIG. 5
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`25 ^ 18a
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`? 41
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`35
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`Automated Packaging Systems, Inc.
`Automated Packaging Systems, Inc.
`Exhibit 2004
`Exhibit 2004
`Page 003
`Page 003
`IPR2016-00446
`IPR2016-00446
`
`

`
`5,921,390
`
`1
`CONTINUOUS ROLL OF PLASTIC BAGS
`
`This application claims priority pursuant to U.S.C. 35
`§119 from US. provisional application Ser. No. 60/043,303
`?led Apr. 11, 1997, the entire disclosure of Which is hereby
`incorporated by reference.
`
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`
`The present invention, in general, relates to plastic bags
`and more particularly, to a roll of plastic bags that are readily
`openable When supplied in continuous strips.
`
`10
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`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`In a supermarket or food market, fresh produce is often
`displayed in bulk, possibly in piles of loose items. Consum
`ers must take a bag from a nearby source, and then select and
`bag their oWn fruits and vegetables. Typically, the source of
`bags is a vertically or horiZontally positioned cylindrical roll
`of ?attened multi-ply plastic ?lm bags supplied in continu
`ous strips. The bags have perforated separation lines
`betWeen them. Separation is accomplished by pulling the
`leading bag from the neXt bag on the role, and may be
`assisted by bag dispensing devices such as those disclosed in
`applicant’s US. Pat. Nos. 5,135,146, 5,261,585 and 5,433,
`363, Which alloW single-handed separation of a bag from the
`strip. Aproblem With bags provided on a continuous strip is
`that the user often ?nds it dif?cult to open the bag once it has
`been removed from the strip. The user may in fact ?nd it
`dif?cult to determine Which end of the removed bag is the
`end that opens. The slick ?nish of the thin ?lm Walls of the
`bag, the static adhesion of thin plastic ?lms and the perfo
`ration forces applied to the ?lms in order to provide the
`separation lines may cause the plies at the opening of the bag
`to resist separation. A user may be required to employ tWo
`hands to open the bag. This can be a nuisance When the
`consumer has already selected and is holding items to be
`placed in the bag.
`An object of the present invention is to provide plastic
`bags that, even When supplied in continuous strips, are
`readily openable.
`A further object is to provide a produce bag Which is
`presented to the user in a partially opened state.
`Afurther object of the invention is to provide a continuous
`strip of produce bags on a roll such that removing a leading
`bag from the roll readily identi?es the opening end of an
`adjacent successive bag on the roll.
`
`15
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`20
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`25
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`30
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`35
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`40
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`45
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`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`In accordance With the invention, a continuous strip of
`plastic bags is preferably Wound around on an aXle adapted
`for use in, for eXample, the dispensing devices disclosed
`above. The bags may be of any con?guration, but are
`preferably in a “sealed stack” con?guration, in Which the
`continuous strip of bags is longitudinally folded so that a
`cross-section of a single bag presents multiple plies of
`plastic ?lm. Each bag is de?ned by a lateral separation line,
`usually a perforated tear-line, betWeen the bottom edge of
`the leading bag and the top edge of the successive bag. The
`bag opening is in the top edge of each bag. Approximately
`in the center of the separation line on the folded bag is an
`opening Which preferably passes through all but one ply of
`the bag. The opening in the separation line is adapted to
`engage a tongue mounted on the supporting dispenser. As
`the user pulls a bag from the dispenser, the tongue engages
`the openings; continued pulling causes the tongue to sepa
`
`55
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`60
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`65
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`2
`rate the leading bag along the tear-line, eventually leaving
`the ply Without an opening connecting the leading bag and
`the successive bag.
`This connecting portion, or connecting Web, is the last
`portion to be torn before the leading bag is completely
`separated from the continuous strip. The ?nal force required
`to overcome the attachment of the connecting portion
`deforms the bag and causes at least the connected ply of the
`folded plies to separate from the other plies at the bag
`opening. The separated plies at the opening of the bag are
`available for the user to grasp and readily open the bag fully.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`The foregoing and other objects and advantages of this
`invention Will become apparent to those skilled in the art
`upon reading the detailed description of a preferred embodi
`ment in conjunction With a revieW of the appended draWings
`in Which:
`FIG. 1 is a top vieW of a portion of a continuous strip of
`bags detailing separation lines betWeen bags.
`FIG. 2 is a cross-section taken along sectional line 2—2
`in FIG. 1, shoWing the multiple plies of a folded bag.
`FIG. 3 is a perspective vieW of a roll of bags in a
`continuous strip supported in a dispenser.
`FIG. 4 is a front vieW of the dispenser tongue engaging an
`opening Which passes through all but the topmost ply of the
`separation line.
`FIG. 5 is a side cross-section taken along sectional line
`5—5 of FIG. 4 shoWing the dispenser tongue engaging the
`opening Which passes through all but the topmost ply of the
`separation line.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
`INVENTION
`
`Referring to FIG. 1, a portion of a continuous strip of bags
`14 of the invention is shoWn generally at 10. The strip of
`bags 10 may be formed of at least tWo plies 18 of a ?lm from
`any one of a number of ?lm-forming plastics Well knoWn in
`the art. The plies have confronting faces 41 and 42. In the
`preferred embodiment, each bag 14 is connected at one end
`to the end of an adjacent bag by a continuous portion or Web
`of at least one of the plies of the plastic ?lm. Each bag 14
`is readily separable from the successive bag along a line of
`Weakness, or separation line 12. In the preferred
`embodiment, a perforated tear line, shoWn as segments 9 and
`11, pierces the contiguous portion of plastic ?lm connecting
`adjacent bags 14, to substantially form the separation line 12
`betWeen adjacent bags on the continuous strip 10. The
`perforations in the tear line segments 9 and 11 pass through
`all of the plies 18 of the continuous portion of the strip 10.
`A bottom seam 16, proXimal and generally parallel to the
`separation line 12, may form the sealed bottom end of each
`bag 14. One or both sides of the bag may be formed of
`continuous plastic ?lm material, or one or both sides may be
`formed by joining separate plies of material With a side seam
`(not shoWn). The bottom seam 16 and side seams are
`typically formed by Welding, but may be formed by any
`conventional means. The separation line 12 may also de?ne
`a top edge 7 of each bag 14. The top edge 7 of the bag 14
`de?nes a bag opening 35 Which leads into a bag cavity.
`Referring noW to FIG. 2, the continuous strip 10 of bags
`14 may be of any con?guration, but is preferably in a “star
`sealed” con?guration, in Which the continuous strip 10 of
`bags 14 is folded longitudinally along the strip 10 so that a
`cross-section of a single bag 14 has eight plies 18 of plastic
`
`Automated Packaging Systems, Inc.
`Exhibit 2004
`Page 004
`IPR2016-00446
`
`

`
`5,921,390
`
`3
`?lm. The folded continuous strip 10 of bags 14 is Wound into
`a roll of bags, shown in FIG. 3 at 22, Which may be
`supported in a dispenser 24, or may be arranged and
`supported in other conventional Ways knoWn in the art. With
`the strip 10 folded into multiple plies 18, the roll 22 of bags
`14 presents a narroWer, more convenient pro?le for display
`and dispensing. In the preferred embodiment, the bags 14
`are dispensed from the outer perimeter of the roll of bags 22.
`Although dispensing a continuous strip 10 of bags 14 from
`a roll 22 is preferred, other means and other devices for
`dispensing continuous strips 10 of bags 14 are knoWn to
`those skilled in the art and are contemplated by the inventor,
`such as, for example, a continuous strip of bags Which is
`transversely folded and dispensed from a box or container.
`The separation line 12 has a non-perforated portion 15, in
`at least one of the plies 18, forming a connector Web 30
`located betWeen perforated tear line segments 9 and 11. The
`connector Web 30 is dimensioned to provide a substantially
`greater resistance to separation than the perforated tear line
`segments 9 and 11. It is further dimensioned to provide
`sufficient force to the top edge 7 of the bag 14 to separate at
`least one ply 18 from another ply 18 at the bag opening 35.
`In the preferred embodiment, the connector Web 30 is
`integrally formed and contiguous With the plastic ?lm mate
`rial of the uppermost ply 18a of the bag 14, but may be
`formed by more than one ply 18, or may be a single ply 18
`other than the uppermost ply. The connector Web 30 may be
`Wider than shoWn, for example possibly even equal to the
`full Width of the ply.
`As noted above, the connector Web 30 is preferably a
`contiguous portion of at least one ply 18 of the strip 10. Each
`ply 18 that is not connected by a Web 30 in the strip 10
`instead has a tear line opening 28 betWeen perforated tear
`line segments 9 and 11. The tear line opening 28 in each ply
`18 not connected by a Web 30 is substantially the same Width
`as and arranged to be aligned With the Web 30.
`When a leading bag 14a is draWn aWay from a successive
`bag 14b on the continuous strip 10, the bottom 16 of the
`leading bag Will separate from the top 7 of the successive
`bag along the perforated tear line segments 9 and 11 of
`separation line 12. At this stage in the separation process, the
`plies 18 that are not connected by a Web 30 are also
`separated from the continuous strip 10 by tear line slit 28.
`Subsequent to separation of the bags 14a and 14b at the
`perforated tear line segments 9 and 11, and at the tear line
`slit 28, only Web 30 connects adjacent bags 14a and 14b.
`Web 30 is the last connecting portion to be torn before the
`draWn bag 14a separates from the successive bag 14b.
`HoWever, as continued force is applied to severe Web 30 and
`separate the leading bag 14a from the successive bag 14b,
`the ply 18a to Which the Web 30 is attached in the successive
`bag 14b, is draWn aWay from the other plies at the bag
`opening 35 in the successive bag 14b, resulting in a partially
`open successive bag 14b.
`In the preferred embodiment, the dispenser 24 supports
`the roll of bags 22 and guides the lead bag 14a from the outer
`perimeter of the roll over an upWardly directed tongue or
`?nger 26. The tongue is arranged to be aligned With the tear
`line slit 28. In response to a user draWing a leading bag 14a
`doWn and aWay from the dispenser 24, the roll 22 moves in
`the direction of arroW 23, and the leading bag 14a and
`subsequent bag 14b move in the direction of arroW 25
`toWards tongue 26. The loWer ply 18c of the leading bag 14a
`slides over the tongue 26 until the tongue 26 enters and
`engages the tear line slit 28 of at least one ply 18c, but
`preferably all but one ply 18a Which has a connector Web 30
`instead of a tear line slit 28. Because the tear line slit 28 does
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`10
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`not pass through the Web 30, the Web 30 rides up and over
`the tongue 26 as the leading bag 14a is draWn aWay from the
`subsequent bag 14b. The tongue 26 by engaging the tear line
`slit 28, engages a portion of the top edge 7 of the subsequent
`bag 14b proximal to the tear line slit 28. Further forWard
`movement of the engaged portion of the successive bag 14b
`is substantially impeded by the tongue 26. Thus, as contin
`ued force is applied to draW the leading bag 14a aWay from
`the engaged portion of the subsequent bag 14b, the leading
`bag 14a and the subsequent bag 14b begin to separate along
`perforated tear lines 9 and 11. Simultaneously, Web 30
`conveys a portion of the ply 18a of subsequent bag 14b, to
`Which it is attached, over and beyond the tongue 26, and
`confronting faces 41 and 42 separate. Eventually, the leading
`bag 14a and subsequent bag 14b are detached along both
`perforated tear lines 9 and 11. At this stage in the separation
`process, the leading and subsequent bags, 14a and 14b are
`still connected by Web 30, as Web 30 is dimensioned to
`provide substantially greater resistance to separation than
`perforated tear lines 9 and 11. Further force must be applied
`to overcome the connection of Web 30, to alloW the leading
`bag 14a to be completely separated from the subsequent bag
`14b. As the leading bag 14a is draWn aWay from subsequent
`bag 14b in response to additional force by the user, the ply
`18a, to Which Web 30 is connected in the subsequent bag
`14b, pulls aWay from the plies 18 in the subsequent bag 14b
`Which are engaged by tongue 26, further separating con
`fronting faces 41 and 42, so that a portion of the subsequent
`bag 14b opens. Connector Web 30 then tears, and the leading
`bag 14a completely separated.
`With the leading bag 14a completely separated, subse
`quent bag 14b becomes the leading bag 14a. Aportion of the
`bag is still engaged by tongue 26, and as illustrated in FIG.
`3, the bag 14 sits partially opened at 35 and ready to be
`supplied to the next user. The next user simply grasps the
`bag and lifts the engaged portion from the tongue to alloW
`the bag to be draWn aWay from the roll 22. After a bag 14
`has been separated from the roll 22, the user can readily
`identify the partially opened end 35 of the bag 14, and the
`user can grasp and readily separate the plies 18 to open the
`bag 14.
`While the embodiments of the invention shoWn and
`described are fully capable of achieving the results desired,
`it is to be understood that the embodiments have been shoWn
`and described for purposes of illustration only and not for
`purposes of limitation.
`What is claimed is:
`1. A continuous roll of separable plastic bags for use in a
`dispenser Which includes a separating tongue in a predeter
`mined position, each of said bags comprising:
`a multiplicity of plies of ?exible plastic ?lm;
`a tear line in each of said plies, each of said tear lines
`overlying each other and including a perforated por
`tion;
`at least a ?rst of said plies including an elongated slit
`Which is adapted to be engaged by said tongue; and
`at least a second of said plies having no perforations in
`said second ply tear line in the region overlying said
`elongated slit, Whereby said non-perforated portion of
`said second ply tear line has a greater resistance to
`tearing than said perforated portion of said second ply
`tear line such that When a bag is separated from said
`continuous roll, said bag tends to open.
`2. The continuous roll of separable bags of claim 1,
`Wherein each of said plies except for said second ply
`includes an elongated slit overlying each other.
`
`Automated Packaging Systems, Inc.
`Exhibit 2004
`Page 005
`IPR2016-00446
`
`

`
`5,921,390
`
`5
`3. The continuous roll of separable bags of claim 1,
`wherein said second ply is the uppermost ply which forms
`the front outside surface of said bag.
`4. The continuous roll of separable bags of claim 1,
`Wherein said second ply is the lowermost ply which forms
`the back outside surface of said bag.
`5. A continuous roll of separable plastic bags for use in a
`dispenser Which includes a separating tongue in a predeter
`rnined position, each of said bags comprising:
`eight plies of ?exible plastic ?lm in a star sealed con
`?guration;
`a tear line in each of said plies, each of said tear lines
`overlying each other and including a perforated por
`tion;
`each of seven of said plies including an elongated slit,
`Wherein each of said elongated slits overlies each other
`and is adapted to be engaged by said tongue; and
`
`10
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`15
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`6
`one of said plies having no perforations in said tear line
`in the region overlying said elongated slits, Whereby
`said non-perforated portion of said one ply tear line has
`a greater resistance to tearing than said perforated
`portion of said one ply tear line such that When a bag
`is separated from said continuous roll, said bag tends to
`open.
`6. The continuous roll of separable bags of claim 5,
`Wherein said one of said plies including no perforations in
`said tear line is the uppermost ply which forms the front
`outside surface of said bag.
`7. The continuous roll of separable bags of claim 5,
`Wherein said one of said plies including no perforations in
`said tear line is the lowermost ply which forms the back
`outside surface of said bag.
`
`*
`
`*
`
`*
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`*
`
`*
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`Automated Packaging Systems, Inc.
`Exhibit 2004
`Page 006
`IPR2016-00446