Sealable bag having an indicia for use in vacuum packaging

Abstract

A vacuum bag comprises a first panel and a second panel, wherein each panel comprises a gas-impermeable base layer and a heat-sealable inner layer with at least one panel having indicia. The indicia can be informative, decorative, and/or functional, and optionally can be colored so that the indicia can be easily identified by a user. This description is not intended to be a complete description of, or limit the scope of, the invention. Other features, aspects, and objects of the invention can be obtained from a review of the specification, the figures, and the claims.

1 . A bag adapted to receive an article, comprising: 
 a first panel defining at least one molded portion;    a second panel; and    the first panel and the second panel secured together to form the bag;    wherein the at least one molded portion is an indicia.    
   
   
       2 . A bag adapted to receive an article, comprising: 
 a first panel having: 
 a first outer layer; and  
 a first inner layer connected with the first outer layer, the first inner layer including at least one molded portion integrally formed with the first inner layer;  
 wherein the at least one molded portion is an indicia; and  
   a second panel connected with the first panel such that the first panel and the second panel form an envelope having an inlet, the second panel having: 
 a second outer layer; and  
 a second inner layer connected with the second outer layer.  
   
   
   
       3 . The bag of  claim 2 , wherein the first outer layer and the second outer layer comprise a gas-impermeable material.  
   
   
       4 . The bag of  claim 3 , wherein the gas-impermeable material is one of polyester, polyamide, ethylene vinyl alcohol, and nylon.  
   
   
       5 . The bag of  claim 2 , wherein the first inner layer and the second inner layer comprise a thermoplastic resin.  
   
   
       6 . The bag of  claim 5 , wherein the thermoplastic resin is polyethylene.  
   
   
       7 . The bag of  claim 2 , wherein the indicia is information.  
   
   
       8 . The bag of  claim 7 , wherein the information is one or more recipes.  
   
   
       9 . The bag of  claim 7 , wherein the information is storage instructions.  
   
   
       10 . The bag of  claim 7 , wherein the information is a label identifying the article.  
   
   
       11 . The bag of  claim 7 , wherein the information is a trademark.  
   
   
       12 . The bag of  claim 7 , wherein the information is one of a name and a mark of an owner of the article.  
   
   
       13 . The bag of  claim 2 , wherein the indicia is a seasonal decoration.  
   
   
       14 . The bag of  claim 2 , wherein at least a portion of the indicia includes a surface having a color different than a color of the first and second panel.  
   
   
       15 . A bag adapted to receive an article, comprising: 
 a first panel including: 
 a first gas-impermeable layer; and  
 a first inner layer laminated to the first gas-impermeable layer, the first inner layer having a textured exposed surface;  
 wherein the textured exposed surface is an indicia;  
   a second panel including: 
 a second gas-impermeable layer; and  
 a second inner layer laminated to the second gas-impermeable layer;  
   wherein the first panel is connected with the second panel to form an envelope such that the first inner layer opposes the second inner layer, the envelope including a heat-sealable opening for evacuating gas.    
   
   
       16 . A heat-sealable bag adapted to receive an article, comprising: 
 a first panel including: 
 a first gas-impermeable layer;  
 at least one first intermediate layer connected with the first gas-impermeable layer; and  
 a first inner layer laminated to the at least one first intermediate layer, the first inner layer having a textured exposed surface;  
   wherein the textured exposed surface is an indicia; and    a second panel including: 
 a second gas-impermeable layer;  
 at least one second intermediate layer connected with the second gas-impermeable layer; and  
 a second inner layer laminated to the at least one second intermediate layer;  
   wherein the first panel is connected with the second panel to form an envelope such that the first inner layer opposes the second inner layer, the envelope including a heat-sealable opening for evacuating gas.    
   
   
       17 . The bag of  claim 16 , wherein the first gas-impermeable layer and the second gas-impermeable layer comprise one of polyester, polyamide, ethylene vinyl alcohol, and nylon.  
   
   
       18 . The bag of  claim 16 , wherein the first inner layer and the second inner layer comprise a thermoplastic resin.  
   
   
       19 . The bag of  claim 18 , wherein the thermoplastic resin is polyethylene.  
   
   
       20 . The bag of  claim 16 , wherein the indicia is information.  
   
   
       21 . The bag of  claim 20 , wherein the information is one or more recipes.  
   
   
       22 . The bag of  claim 20 , wherein the information is storage instructions.  
   
   
       23 . The bag of  claim 20 , wherein the information is a label identifying the article.  
   
   
       24 . The bag of  claim 20 , wherein the information is a trademark.  
   
   
       25 . The bag of  claim 20 , wherein the information is one of a name and a mark of an owner of the article.  
   
   
       26 . The bag of  claim 16 , wherein the indicia is a seasonal decoration.  
   
   
       27 . The bag of  claim 16 , wherein at least a portion of the indicia includes a surface having a color different than a color of the first and second panel.  
   
   
       28 . A system for forming a bag including a three-dimensional structure formed on at least one panel, comprising: 
 a cooling roll having one or more structures for forming one or more indicia;    a laminating roll;    a backing material;    a flowable material that can be flowed into the one or more structures to form the one or more indicia, the one or more indicia adhering to the backing material.