Flexible bags having enhanced capacity and enhanced stability in use

Abstract

The present invention provides a flexible bag comprising at least one sheet of flexible sheet material assembled to form a semi-enclosed container having an opening defined by a periphery. The opening defines an opening plane, and the bag has an upper region adjacent to the opening and a lower region below the upper region. The upper region has a preferential elongation axis perpendicular to the opening plane which permits the upper region to expand in response to an externally-applied force upon the bag, while the lower region has a preferential elongation axis parallel to the opening plane which permits the lower region to expand in response to forces exerted by contents within the bag to provide an increase in volume of said bag. The bag therefore exhibits increased stability in use and is easier to close.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates to flexible bags generally used for containing and / or organizing various items and / or materials. Background technique [0002] Flexible bags, especially those made of less expensive polymeric materials, are widely used to hold and organize a variety of household materials such as trash, lawn clippings, leaves, and the like. [0003] The term "flexible" as used herein is intended to refer to materials that are capable of being flexed or bent, especially repeatedly, so that they are adaptable and yield in response to applied external forces. Thus, "flexible" is roughly the opposite in meaning of the terms "flexible, rigid, or non-yielding." Thus, flexible materials and structures can change in shape and structure to accommodate external forces and conform to the shape of objects they will come into contact with without compromising their integrity. Commonly marketed flexible bags are generally made ...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

When the bag is filled to capacity, or even filled beyond its capacity by placing additional material beyond the uppermost edge of the bag, since a small amount of material remains above the level of the contents, Consumers often have difficulty closing the bag opening

If the full bag itself is then placed on the floor while some additional items are stuffed in and / or the closure is actuated, another problem often encountered is that the contents of the bag shift so that the inside of the bag Unbalanced, the bag will tip over accordingly, allowing the contents to spill

Images