Tote bag with inner resealable evacuable flexible bag

Abstract

A system comprising: a tote bag comprising a container having an opening and means for closing the opening, wherein the container comprises first and second rigid or semi-rigid side walls and a connecting wall made of flexible fabric material; and a resealable evacuable bag placed inside and freely removable from the tote bag via the opening. The resealable evacuable bag comprises: a receptacle having an interior volume and a mouth that allows communication between an exterior and the interior volume, the receptacle comprising flexible front and rear walls and a flexible gusseted bottom; a resealable closure installed in the mouth; a one-way valve mounted to a hole in the front wall; and a rigid or semi-rigid board loosely disposed inside and freely removable from the receptacle and in contact with the gusseted bottom.

1 . A system comprising:
 a resealable flexible bag comprising a receptacle having a mouth at a top and an interior volume, a resealable zipper installed in said mouth, and a one-way vacuum valve for use in evacuating said interior volume of said receptacle, wherein said receptacle in a flattened state comprises front and rear walls joined by first and second side seals and a gusseted bottom joined to said front and rear walls by first and second bottom seals respectively, said gusseted bottom and said front and rear walls being made of a flexible web material, and said one-way vacuum valve being attached to and penetrating said front wall; and   a board made of a rigid or semi-rigid material, said board being loosely disposed inside and freely removable from said receptacle.   
   
   
       2 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said board can be folded along a line. 
   
   
       3 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said gusseted bottom comprises a first folded marginal portion that is captured in said first side seal and a second folded marginal portion that is captured in said first side seal. 
   
   
       4 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said gusseted bottom is formed by a rectangular piece of said flexible web material that is folded when said receptacle lies flat. 
   
   
       5 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein when said gusseted bottom is expanded and partly flattened and when said board is placed on top of said flattened portion of said gusseted bottom, the length of said mouth is greater than the length of said flattened portion of said gusseted bottom. 
   
   
       6 . The system as recited in  claim 5 , wherein said board and said flattened portion of said gusseted bottom are both rectangular. 
   
   
       7 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a tote bag for receiving said resealable flexible bag after said resealable flexible bag has been filled with compressible articles and evacuated, said tote bag comprising a container having an opening and means for closing said opening. 
   
   
       8 . The system as recited in  claim 8 , wherein said container comprises first and second side walls, each of said first and second side walls comprising a respective board made of rigid or semi-rigid material. 
   
   
       9 . The system as recited in  claim 9 , wherein said container further comprises a wall made of flexible fabric that connects said first and second side walls. 
   
   
       10 . The system as recited in  claim 8 , wherein said board fits through said opening of said container. 
   
   
       11 . A system comprising:
 a resealable flexible bag comprising a receptacle having a mouth at a top and an interior volume, a resealable zipper installed in said mouth, and a one-way vacuum valve for use in evacuating said interior volume of said receptacle, wherein said receptacle in a flattened state comprises front and rear walls joined by first and second side seals and a gusseted bottom joined to said front and rear walls by first and second bottom seals respectively, said gusseted bottom and said front and rear walls being made of a flexible web material, and said one-way vacuum valve being attached to and penetrating said front wall; and   a tote bag for receiving said resealable flexible bag after said resealable flexible bag has been filled with compressible articles and evacuated, said tote bag comprising a container having an opening and means for closing said opening,   wherein said resealable flexible bag is freely removable from said tote bag.   
   
   
       12 . The system as recited in  claim 11 , further comprising a belt attached to said container, said belt being arranged to secure said resealable flexible bag inside said container when said resealable bag is filled with compressed articles. 
   
   
       13 . The system as recited in  claim 11 , wherein said container comprises first and second side walls, each of said first and second side walls comprising a respective board made of rigid or semi-rigid material. 
   
   
       14 . The system as recited in  claim 13 , further comprising first and second handles respectively attached to said first and second side walls 
   
   
       15 . The system as recited in  claim 13 , wherein said container further comprises a wall made of flexible fabric that connects said first and second side walls. 
   
   
       16 . The system as recited in  claim 11 , further comprising a board made of a rigid or semi-rigid material, said board being loosely disposed inside and freely removable from said receptacle and in contact with said gusseted bottom of said receptacle. 
   
   
       17 . The system as recited in  claim 15 , wherein said board can be folded along a line. 
   
   
       18 . A system comprising:
 a tote bag comprising a container having an opening and means for closing said opening, wherein said container comprises first and second rigid or semi-rigid side walls and a connecting wall made of flexible fabric material; and   a resealable evacuable bag placed inside and freely removable from said tote bag via said opening, said resealable evacuable bag comprising:   a receptacle having an interior volume and a mouth that allows communication between an exterior and said interior volume, said receptacle comprising flexible front and rear walls and a flexible gusseted bottom;   a resealable closure installed in said mouth;   a one-way valve mounted to a hole in said front wall; and   a rigid or semi-rigid board loosely disposed inside and freely removable from said receptacle and in contact with said gusseted bottom.   
   
   
       19 . The system as recited in  claim 18 , wherein said board can be folded along a line. 
   
   
       20 . The system as recited in  claim 18 , wherein said resealable closure comprises first and second zipper strips having mutually interlockable profiles.