Heavy-duty plastic bag with easy tear corner spout portion

Abstract

A heavy-duty plastic bag for containing a granular product is provided with a pouring spout defined in a top corner thereof by a detachable corner portion. The detachable corner portion is formed by a perforated tear line profile formed in juxtaposition in a front and a rear wall of the bag. The tear line profile defines a first straight line segment extending downwardly from the top edge of the bag and angulated at an angle with respect to the top edge in the direction of a near one of the opposed side edges of the bag. The first straight line segment merges into a concavely curved transition segment to connect to a second straight line segment extending downwardly from the transition segment at an angle with respect to the near one of the opposed side edges and terminates at the near one of the side edges. The concavely curved transition segment has a length which is approximately 15% of the total length of the perforated tear line profile. The perforated tear line profile is formed by a constant and equal cut-to-uncut perforation ratio. Preferably, but not exclusively, the plastic bag is adapted to retain granular products such as coarse salt pellets, fertilizer, sand, lawn and garden products and a plurality of other granular products.

1 . A heavy-duty plastic bag adapted to contain a granular product; said bag having a front and rear wall, an open bottom edge adapted to be sealed after the granular product is dispensed in the bag, a heat sealing strip spaced adjacent a top edge of said bag and forming a skirt portion between said heat sealing strip and said top edge, a pouring spout is defined in a top corner of said bag by a detachable corner portion delineated by a perforated tear line profile formed in juxtaposition in said front and rear walls, said tear line profile defining a first straight line segment extending downwardly from said top edge of said front and rear walls and angulated at an angle with respect to said top edge in the direction of a near one of opposed side edges of said bag, said first straight line segment merging into a concavely curved transition segment to connect to a second straight line segment extending downwardly from said transition segment at an angle with respect to said near one of said opposed side edges and terminating at said near one of said side edges, said concavely curved transition segment having a length which is approximately 15% (fifteen percent) of the total length of said perforated tear line profile; said perforated tear line profile further terminating at said top edge in a slit extending through said skirt portion between said top edge and said heat sealing strip. 
   
   
       2 . A heavy-duty plastic bag as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said bag is formed from tubular extruded film, said top edge of said bag being an open top edge with said heat sealing strip interconnecting said front and rear walls together adjacent said top end. 
   
   
       3 . A heavy-duty plastic bag as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said cut to uncut perforation ration is 3.5 mm/3.5 mm. 
   
   
       4 . A heavy-duty plastic bag as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said heavy-duty plastic bag has a carrying capacity of between about 25 pounds to at least 40 pounds of said granular product, said first straight line segment extending from said top edge a distance of about 4 inches from said near one of said opposed side edges and said second straight line segment terminating at said near one of said opposed side edges a distance of about 4.5 inches from said heat sealing strip. 
   
   
       5 . A heavy-duty plastic bag as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein said first straight line segment has a length of 3.05 inches, said second straight line segment having a length of 2.70 inches, and said transition segment having a length of 1.06 inches. 
   
   
       6 . A heavy-duty plastic bag as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein said concavely curved transition segment has a length which is 15.6% of said total length of said perforated tear line profile. 
   
   
       7 . A heavy-duty plastic bag as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein said angle of said first straight line segment is 75° (degrees), said angle of said second straight line segment is 71°, said transition segment forming an internal angle of 124° between said first and second straight line segments. 
   
   
       8 . A heavy-duty plastic bag as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a carrying handle is secured along said top end of said bag, said handle providing gripping support for handling said bag during transport and pouring of granular product with said detachable corner portion torn off at said perforated tear line. 
   
   
       9 . A heavy-duty plastic bag as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein said front and rear walls of said plastic bag each have a thickness of between approximately 4 to 8 mils, said front and rear walls being made of polyolefin film comprised of one of high density, low density, linear low density polyethylene, polypropylene, said bag having a width of approximately 15 inches and a length of approximately 24 inches with a capacity to hold at least 40 lbs of the granular product. 
   
   
       10 . A heavy-duty plastic bag as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the granular product is salt pellets, said salt pellets being completely evacuated from said bag through said pouring opening with a pour time of approximately 3.5 seconds.