Wicketed bag fabrication and packaging process

Abstract

A wicketed bag fabrication and packaging process includes forming a continuous series of wicketed bags by feeding a continuous web and attaching articles to the web. A continuous series of pre-packaged articles or individual pre-formed articles are provided and attached to the web to form wicketed bags having one or more of the pre-packaged articles or pre-formed articles attached thereto.

1 . A packaging process comprising: 
 forming a continuous series of wicketed bags;    providing a plurality of articles; and    attaching the articles to the wicketed bags.    
   
   
       2 . The packaging process of  claim 1 , wherein attaching the articles comprises attaching pre-packaged articles to a lower portion of the wicketed bags.  
   
   
       3 . The packaging process of  claim 1 , wherein attaching the articles comprises attaching the articles to an outer surface of the wicketed bags.  
   
   
       4 . The packaging process of  claim 1 , wherein attaching the articles comprises alternately attaching at least two different articles to at least two different locations on the wicketed bags.  
   
   
       5 . The packaging process of  claim 1  further comprising forming holes in an upper portion of the wicketed bags and suspending the wicketed bags on a wicket holder.  
   
   
       6 . A method for fabricating wicketed bags comprising: 
 folding a web to form an outer surface;    providing articles; and    attaching the articles to the outer surface.    
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein folding the web comprises forming a folded bottom edge and an open top edge.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising cross-cutting the web into individual sections after folding the web.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein providing articles comprises providing sealed enclosures each containing at least one item.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein providing sealed enclosures each containing at least one item comprises providing sealed enclosures containing printed material.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein providing sealed enclosures each containing at least one item comprises providing sealed enclosures containing a physical object.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein providing sealed enclosures comprises providing plastic pouches sealed on at least two sides and having a perforation line therein.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein attaching the articles to the outer surface comprises heat sealing the articles to the outer surface.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein attaching the articles to the outer surface comprises providing a backing material having an adhesive thereon and adhesively attaching the articles to the outer surface.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein attaching the articles to the outer surface comprises gluing the articles to the outer surface.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising feeding the web at a web feed rate, and wherein providing articles comprises providing a continuous roll of pre-packaged articles and feeding the pre-packaged articles from the continuous roll at a rate substantially synchronized with the web feed rate.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising simultaneously cross-cutting the web and the continuous roll of pre-packaged articles.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein providing a continuous roll of pre-packaged articles comprises providing a continuous roll of pre-packaged physical objects.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein providing a continuous roll of pre-packaged articles comprises providing a continuous roll of pre-packaged printed materials.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein providing articles comprises providing a feeding device containing a plurality of individual articles, and wherein attaching the articles to the outer surface comprises applying adhesive and sequentially attaching the articles with the adhesive.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein applying adhesive comprises applying adhesive to the outer surface of the web.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein applying adhesive comprises applying adhesive to the articles.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 20  further comprising cross-cutting the web to form individual units.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein providing a feeding device comprises providing at least two feeding devices positioned at different locations in proximity to the outer surface of the web.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 20  further comprising forming holes in an upper portion of the web, and suspending the individual units on a wicket holder.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein providing articles comprises providing an article selected from the group consisting of envelopes, folded paper, and paper wrap.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein providing articles comprises providing bound booklets.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein providing articles comprises providing plastic vessels.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein providing articles comprises providing boxes.  
   
   
       30 . A method for fabricating wicketed bags comprising: 
 feeding a continuous web at a web feed rate and folding the web to form an outer surface;    feeding a continuous series of articles in substantial synchronization with the web feed rate; and    continuously attaching the articles to the outer surface.    
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein feeding a continuous series of articles comprises feeding a continuous series of pre-packaged physical objects.  
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein feeding a continuous series of articles comprises feeding a continuous series of pre-packaged printed materials.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 30  further comprising simultaneously cross-cutting the web and the continuous series of pre-packaged articles.  
   
   
       34 . A method for fabricating wicketed bags comprising: 
 providing a web having an outer surface;    providing a plurality of individual articles; and    sequentially attaching the articles to the outer surface.    
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein sequentially attaching the articles comprises operating a pick-and-place machine.  
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein sequentially attaching the articles comprises operating a vacuum rotary feeder.  
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein sequentially attaching the articles comprises operating a shuttle feed device.  
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein sequentially attaching the articles comprises attaching by hand.  
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein sequentially attaching the articles comprises alternatively attaching the articles to at least two designated positions on the outer surface.  
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 39  further comprising cross-cutting the web to form the wicketed bags and stacking the wicketed bags on a wicket holder.  
   
   
       41 . A packaging process comprising: 
 forming a continuous series of wicketed bags at a bag process rate;    feeding a continuous bandolier of pre-packaged articles in substantial synchronization with the bag process rate; and    continuously attaching the pre-packaged articles to the wicketed bags.    
   
   
       42 . A packaging process comprising: 
 forming a continuous series of wicketed bags at a bag process rate;    feeding a continuous roll of pre-packaged articles in substantial synchronization with the bag process rate; and    continuously attaching the pre-packaged articles to the wicketed bags.