Bag and article of manufacture

Abstract

Disclosed is an article of manufacture including bag having a front surface; a rear surface; two side surfaces each having a gusset therein and connecting the front and rear surfaces; a flattenable bottom surface formed by connecting the front, rear, and side surfaces; and a top surface formable by connecting the front, rear, and side surfaces. The bag has a height, a width, and a depth, and defines an internal volume. The bag is sealable and has a seal strength of at least about 1,600 pounds per square inch. The bag is formed from a plastic laminate having a thickness of from about 130 to about 200 microns and a tensile strength of at least about 3,400 pounds per square inch. The article of manufacture also includes at least about 15 pounds of a particulate, flowable composition contained therein. The bag can also have a closure system comprising a non-reusable closure and a reusable closure. Also included are methods, using the article of manufacture, of enhancing palatability of an oxidizable, particulate, flowable composition contained therein.

1 . An article of manufacture comprising:
 a.) a bag comprising:
 i.) a front surface; 
 ii.) a rear surface; 
 iii.) two side surfaces each having a gusset therein and connecting said front and said rear surfaces; 
 iv.) a flattenable bottom surface formed by connecting said front, said rear, and said side surfaces; and 
 v.) a top surface formable by connecting said front, said rear, and said side surfaces; 
 said bag having a height, a width, and a depth, and an internal volume; 
 wherein said bag is sealable and has a seal strength of at least about 1,600 pounds per square inch; and wherein said bag comprises a plastic laminate having a thickness of from about 130 to about 200 microns and a tensile strength of at least about 3,400 pounds per square inch; and 
   b.) at least about 15 pounds of a particulate, flowable composition contained therein.   
   
   
       2 . The article of manufacture of  claim 1  wherein said bag contains at least about 20 pounds of said particulate, flowable composition. 
   
   
       3 . The article of manufacture of  claim 1  The bag of  claim 1  wherein said bag has a ratio of said width to said height of from about 0.4 to about 0.8. 
   
   
       4 . The article of manufacture of  claim 3  wherein said ratio of said width to said height is about 0.6. 
   
   
       5 . The article of manufacture of  claim 1  wherein said bag has a ratio of said depth to said height of from about 0.2 to about 0.4 
   
   
       6 . The article of manufacture of  claim 5  wherein said bag has a ratio of said depth to said height of from about 0.2 to about 0.3. 
   
   
       7 . The article of manufacture of  claim 1  wherein said bag has a ratio of said width to a height of from about 0.4 to about 0.8, and a ratio of said depth to said height of from about 0.2 to about 0.4. 
   
   
       8 . The article of manufacture of  claim 1  wherein said internal volume of said bag is at least about 20% greater than a volume occupied by said composition contained within said bag. 
   
   
       9 . The article of manufacture of  claim 8  wherein said internal volume, said depth of said bag, and said gussets, in combination form a grippable portion near said top of said bag, by which said bag can be grasped for lifting. 
   
   
       10 . The article of manufacture of  claim 1  further comprising a non-reusable closure; wherein said non-reusable closure has a length that extends along said width of said bag. 
   
   
       11 . The article of manufacture of  claim 10  wherein said non-reusable closure comprises a membrane connectable between said front surface and said rear surface of said bag, said membrane having a user-facing surface, an outer surface, and a tear strength of at least about 15 pounds per inch (lbf/in.). 
   
   
       12 . The article of manufacture of  claim 11  wherein a portion of said outer surface of said membrane is sealable to said front surface of said bag, and portion of said outer surface of said membrane is sealable to said rear surface of said bag. 
   
   
       13 . The article of manufacture of  claim 11  wherein said membrane comprises a targeted opening region. 
   
   
       14 . The article of manufacture of  claim 13  wherein said targeted opening region has a tear strength of from about 1 to about 15 pounds per inch (lbf/in.). 
   
   
       15 . The article of manufacture of  claim 13  wherein said targeted opening region comprises from about 1% to about 90% of the length of said membrane. 
   
   
       16 . The article of manufacture of  claim 13  wherein said targeted opening region comprises from about 1% to about 50% of the length of said membrane. 
   
   
       17 . The article of manufacture of  claim 13  wherein said targeted opening region comprises from about 1% to about 10% of the length of said membrane. 
   
   
       18 . The article of manufacture of  claim 13  wherein said targeted opening region comprises a plurality of perforations in said membrane. 
   
   
       19 . The article of manufacture of  claim 13  wherein said targeted opening region is centered at a midpoint along a width of said bag. 
   
   
       20 . The article of manufacture of  claim 11  wherein said membrane comprises instructional indicia on said user-facing surface thereof. 
   
   
       21 . The article of manufacture of  claim 11  wherein said membrane comprises a material selected from the group consisting of: ethylene-derived polymer, polypropylene, polyesters, polyolefins, and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       22 . The article of manufacture of  claim 21  wherein said membrane comprises an ethylene-derived polymer selected from the group consisting of: low density polyethylene, high density polyethylene, ultra-low density polyethylene, and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       23 . The article of manufacture of  claim 11  wherein said membrane has a width of from about 1.5 inches to about 3 inches. 
   
   
       24 . The article of manufacture of  claim 11  wherein said membrane has a width of about 3 inches. 
   
   
       25 . The article of manufacture of  claim 10  wherein said non-reusable closure is disposed at a top edge of said bag. 
   
   
       26 . The article of manufacture of  claim 10  wherein said non-reusable closure is disposed inboard a distance from a top edge of said bag. 
   
   
       27 . The article of manufacture of  claim 1  wherein said plastic laminate is selected from the group consisting of: ethylene-derived polymer, polypropylene, polyesters, polyolefins, woven polypropylene, and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       28 . The article of manufacture of  claim 28  wherein said plastic laminate has an oxygen transmission rate of less than about 6.5 cc/100 in 2 /24 hours. 
   
   
       29 . The article of manufacture of  claim 28  wherein said plastic laminate has a moisture vapor transmission rate of less than about 0.1 grams/100 in 2 /24 hours. 
   
   
       30 . The article of manufacture of  claim 1  further comprising a reusable closure. 
   
   
       31 . The article of manufacture of  claim 30  wherein said reusable closure is selected from the group consisting of: a track and a slider system, a plastic zipper, a metal zipper, a hook and loop fastening system, a threaded closure device, a pressable sealing device, a snap sealing device, resealable adhesive, a magnetic device, an electrostatic device, and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       32 . The article of manufacture of  claim 30  wherein said reusable closure is disposable at a top edge of said bag. 
   
   
       33 . The article of manufacture of  claim 30  wherein said reusable closure is disposable a distance inboard from a top edge of said bag. 
   
   
       34 . The article of manufacture of  claim 1  wherein said bag has a tip angle of from about 10° to about 50°. 
   
   
       35 . The article of manufacture of  claim 1  wherein said bag has a tip angle of from about 20° to about 30°. 
   
   
       36 . The article of manufacture of  claim 1  wherein said composition comprises a dry pet food. 
   
   
       37 . An article of manufacture for containing a flowable particulate composition comprising:
 a. a burst-resistant bag comprising:
 i.) a front surface; 
 ii.) a rear surface; 
 iii.) a flattenable bottom surface; 
 iv.) two side surfaces each having a gusset therein; and 
 v.) a top surface; 
 vi.) a closure system comprising a non-reusable closure and a reusable closure; 
 said bag having a height, a width, and a depth, and an internal volume; 
 wherein said bag is sealable and has a seal strength of at least about 1,600 pounds per square inch; and wherein said bag comprises a plastic laminate having a thickness of from about 130 to about 200 microns and a tensile strength of at least about 3,400 pounds per square inch; and 
   b.) at least about 15 pounds of a flowable particulate composition contained therein.   
   
   
       38 . The article of manufacture of  claim 37  wherein said non-reusable closure comprises a membrane connectable between said front surface and said rear surface of said bag, said membrane having a user-facing surface, an outer surface, and a tear strength of at least about 15 pounds per inch (lbf/in.). 
   
   
       39 . The article of manufacture of  claim 38  wherein said membrane comprises a targeted opening region having a tear strength of from about 1 to about 15 pounds per inch (lbf/in.). 
   
   
       40 . The article of manufacture of  claim 37  wherein said plastic laminate has an oxygen transmission rate of less than about 6.5 cc/100 in 2 /24 hours. 
   
   
       41 . The article of manufacture of  claim 37  wherein said plastic laminate bag has a vapor transmission rate of less than about 0.1 grams/100 in 2 /24 hours. 
   
   
       42 . The article of manufacture of  claim 37  wherein said composition comprises a dry pet food. 
   
   
       43 . A side-gusseted bag comprising
 i.) a front surface;   ii.) a rear surface;   iii.) two side surfaces each having a gusset therein;   iv.) a top surface; and   v.) a flattenable bottom surface;   wherein said bag is sealable and has a seal strength of at least about 1,600 pounds per square inch;   vi.) a non-reusable closure comprising a membrane having a targeted opening region, said targeted opening region having a tear strength of from about 1 to about 15 pounds per inch (lbf/in.).   
   
   
       44 . A method of enhancing palatability of an oxidizable composition after storage comprising the steps of:
 a. providing a plastic laminate bag comprising:
 i.) two side surfaces each having a gusset therein; 
 ii.) a closure system comprising a reusable closure and a non-reusable closure, wherein said non-reusable closure comprises a membrane having a targeted opening region, said targeted opening region having a tear strength of from about 1 to about 15 pounds per inch (lbf/in.); 
 wherein said plastic laminate has a predetermined oxygen transmission rate and a predetermined water vapor transmission rate; 
   b. filling said plastic laminate bag with at least about 15 pounds of a flowable particulate oxidizable composition;   c. sealing said plastic laminate bag closed; thereby preventing oxidation and spoilage of said composition and enhancing palatability of said composition contained therein.   
   
   
       45 . The method of  claim 44  wherein said plastic laminate has an oxygen transmission rate of less than about 6.5 cc/100 in 2 /24 hours. 
   
   
       46 . The method of  claim 44  wherein said plastic laminate has a moisture vapor transmission rate of less than about 0.1 cc/100 in 2 /24 hours. 
   
   
       47 . The method of  claim 44  wherein said plastic laminate is selected from the group consisting of: ethylene-derived polymers, polypropylene, polyesters, polyolefins, woven polypropylene, and combinations thereof.