Bag with absorbent pad

Abstract

A bag ( 101 ) for food products comprises a front panel ( 103 ) and a back panel ( 105 ) attached to define an open top ( 107 ) and a closed bottom ( 111 ). An absorbent pad ( 119 ) is attached to the back panel at a bottom portion ( 121 ) of the pad. The upper portion ( 123 ) of the pad is unattached to the bag. An air jet ( 505 ) of a bagging machine rotates the upper portion of the pad about a hinge portion ( 509 ) of the pad. The pad is secured by an inserted food product so that the pad covers the bottom and a portion of the front panel of the bag. The absorbent pad absorbs juices exuded by the food product and improves the esthetic qualities of the packaging. The attachment method reduces the thickness and bulk of the bag in the lay-flat condition as compared to conventional bags with a folded absorbent pad attached to the front and back panels of the bag.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A bag for food products comprising: 
 a front panel and a back panel attached to define an open top and a closed bottom; and    an absorbent pad disposed inside the bag and comprising a top pad portion unattached to the bag and adjacent to the open top when the bag is in a lay-flat condition, and a bottom pad portion attached to an inside surface of the back panel such that a first distance between a bottom edge of the absorbent bag and the closed bottom of the bag is less than a second distance between a top edge of the absorbent bag and the bottom edge of the absorbent pad when the bag is in a lay-flat condition.    
     
     
         2 . The bag of  claim 1  wherein the absorbent pad comprises a hinge portion to define a deployed condition wherein the top pad portion of the absorbent pad is rotated about the hinge portion so that the absorbent pad covers the closed bottom.  
     
     
         3 . The bag of  claim 2  wherein the absorbent pad covers at least a portion of the front panel in the deployed condition.  
     
     
         4 . The bag of  claim 2  wherein the absorbent pad comprises a product side which faces the back panel of the bag in the lay-flat condition and faces a food product insertable in the bag when the bag is in the deployed condition.  
     
     
         5 . The bag of  claim 4  wherein the product side is a perforated panel.  
     
     
         6 . The bag of  claim 5  wherein the product side is a non-stick panel  
     
     
         7 . The bag of  claim 1  wherein the absorbent pad comprises a super absorbent polymer.  
     
     
         8 . The bag of  claim 2  wherein the hinge portion comprises a flexible strip attaching the bottom portion of the absorbent pad to the back panel of the bag.  
     
     
         9 . The bag of  claim 2  wherein the hinge portion is an adhesive strip attaching the bottom portion of the absorbent pad to the back panel of the bag.  
     
     
         10 . The bag of  claim 2  wherein the hinge portion is a reduced-thickness portion of the absorbent pad.  
     
     
         11 . The bag of  claim 10  wherein the reduced-thickness portion is an edge portion of the absorbent pad.  
     
     
         12 . A bag for food products comprising: 
 a front panel and a back panel attached to define an open top and a closed bottom;    an absorbent pad disposed inside the bag, the absorbent pad comprising a top pad portion adjacent to the open top and a bottom pad portion adjacent to the closed bottom when the bag is in a lay-flat condition;    a pad fastener fastening the bottom pad portion to an inside surface of the back panel; and    an absorbent pad hinge portion, the hinge portion comprising sufficient flexibility to define a deployed condition of the bag wherein the top pad portion rotates about the hinge portion and the absorbent pad covers the closed bottom.    
     
     
         13 . The bag of  claim 12  wherein the absorbent pad covers at least a portion of the front panel in the deployed condition.  
     
     
         14 . The bag of  claim 12  wherein the pad fastener comprises a weld between the bottom pad portion and the back panel.  
     
     
         15 . The bag of  claim 12  wherein the pad fastener comprises an adhesive attaching the bottom pad portion to the back panel.  
     
     
         16 . The bag of  claim 12  wherein the pad fastener comprises an adhesive strip attaching the bottom pad portion to the back panel.  
     
     
         17 . The bag of  claim 12  wherein the hinge portion comprises a reduced-thickness portion of the absorbent pad.  
     
     
         18 . The bag of  claim 12  wherein the hinge portion comprises a bottom edge portion of the absorbent pad.  
     
     
         19 . The bag of  claim 12  wherein the hinge portion comprises a flexible strip attaching the bottom portion of the absorbent pad to the back panel.  
     
     
         20 . A bag for food products comprising: 
 a front panel and a back panel attached to define an open top and a closed bottom;    an absorbent pad disposed inside the bag, the absorbent pad comprising a top pad portion adjacent to the open top and a bottom pad portion adjacent to the closed bottom when the bag is in a lay-flat condition;    a pad fastener fastening the bottom pad portion to an inside surface of the front panel; and    an absorbent pad hinge portion, the hinge portion comprising sufficient flexibility to define a deployed condition of the bag wherein the top pad portion rotates about the hinge portion and the absorbent pad covers the closed bottom.