Easy Open Apparatus and Method for Multi-Ply Bags

Abstract

An easy open apparatus for multi-wall bags and a method for making such bags are disclosed. The bag has a dosed end and an open end and the rear panel is stepped relative to the upper edge of the front panel. A tear-tape strip is adhered to an inner surface of a flap formed in the outer layer of the front panel and extends partly across the panel with ends of the tear-tape exposed. To open the bag, the user grasps one exposed end of the tear-tape and pulls it outwardly away from the bag, thereby tearing the outer paper layer across the flap to form a “pocket” or “handle” that the user may grasp to tear the bag open.

1 . A method of forming a multi-wall bag having an opener, the bag defined by an outer layer and an adjacent layer and the bag having a closed bottom end, an open top end, a front panel and opposed rear panel, the bag defining a bag axis extending from the closed end to the open end, comprising the steps of:
 a) forming a bag having a front panel and opposed rear panel;   b) cutting a pair of opposed and spaced apart slits in the outer layer of the front panel to define flap in the front panel, said opposed and spaced apart slits extending along the bag axis, and said flap having opposed first and second side edges defined by said slits and said flap having an inner-facing surface;   c) adhering a strip of tape having opposite ends to the inner-facing surface of the flap, so that said tape extends completely across the flap in the direction transverse to the bag axis such that at least one of the opposite ends of said tape extends beyond one of the first and second opposed side edges of said flap;   d) adhering the inner-facing surface of said flap to the adjacent layer such that said tape is between said flap and said adjacent layer with said at least one opposite end of said tape exposed.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1  including the step of cutting first and second pairs of slits in each of the opposed first and second side edges of the flap, each slit of each pair extending transverse to the bag axis and to a respective one of the opposed first and second side edges. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2  wherein each slit of the first and second pairs of slits extends only partially across said flap. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3  including the step of adhering the tape between each slit of said transverse slits. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4  in which the step of adhering the inner-facing surface of said flap to the adjacent layer with said opposite ends of said tape exposed comprises applying adhesive to the inner facing surface adjacent the opposed first and second side edges of the flap, but not to the entire flap. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1  including the step of closing the open end by folding over an edge of said rear panel onto said front panel and adhering said rear panel to said front panel. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 6  wherein said rear panel is adhered to said flap. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7  wherein said stepped edge is not adhered to said tape. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8  in which said outer layer may be torn by pulling an exposed end of said tape. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9  wherein tearing said outer layer by pulling an exposed end of said tape does not tear any adjacent layers. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10  in which the step of tearing said outer layer includes the step of forming a handle defined by said torn outer layer. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11  including the step of tearing adjacent layer by pulling said handle upwardly. 
     
     
         13 . A method of forming a multi-wall bag having an opener, the bag defined by an outer layer and an adjacent layer and the bag having a closed bottom end, an open top end, a front panel and opposed rear panel, the bag defining a bag axis extending from the closed end to the open end, comprising the steps of:
 a) forming a bag having a front panel and a rear panel, said front and rear panels having upper edges at the open end;   b) cutting a pair of opposed and spaced apart slits in the outer layer of the front panel to define flap, said opposed and spaced apart slits extending along the bag axis so that said flap has opposed side edges defined by said slits and said flap and so that said flap has an inner-facing surface;   c) adhering a strip of tape having opposite ends to the inner-facing surface of the flap, so that said tape extends completely across the flap in the direction transverse to the bag axis such that at least one of the opposite ends of said tape extends beyond one of the first and second opposed side edges of said flap;   d) adhering some but not all of the inner-facing surface of said flap to the adjacent layer with said at least one of said opposite ends of said tape exposed.   
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13  including the step of closing said open end by folding the upper edge of said rear panel over and onto said front panel and adhering said edge to said front panel. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14  wherein said rear panel is adhered to said flap but does not overlap said tape. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15  including the step of slitting the outer layer in a direction transverse to the bag axis and on both sides of the tape and so that a slit extends from each side edge of said flap partially across said flap. 
     
     
         17 . A method of forming a multi-wall bag configured for containing bulk quantities of material and said bag having an opener, the bag having an outer layer and at least one adjacent layer and the bag having a closed bottom end, an open top end and the bag defining a bag axis extending from the closed end to the open end, comprising the steps of:
 a) forming a bag having a front panel and a rear panel wherein each of the front and rear panels has an upper edge at the open end;   b) cutting a pair of opposed and spaced apart slits in the outer layer of the front panel, said slits extending from the upper edge of the front panel to define flap on the front panel having first and second opposed side edges;   c) adhering a strip of tape to an inner-facing surface of the flap such that said tape extends completely across the flap and with an end of said tape extending beyond one of either the first and second opposed side edges of said flap;   d) adhering the inner-facing surface of said flap to the adjacent layer with said end of said tape is exposed;   e) closing said open end by folding said rear panel onto said front panel so that said rear panel covers part of said flap but not said tape and adhering said rear panel to said front panel.   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17  including the step of cutting first and second pairs of slits in each of the opposed first and second side edges of the flap, each slit of each pair extending transverse to the bag axis and to a respective one of the opposed first and second side edges of said flap. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18  wherein each slit of the first and second pairs of slits extends only partially across said flap. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 17  in which the step of adhering the inner-facing surface of said flap to the adjacent layer comprises applying adhesive to the inner facing surface adjacent the opposed first and second side edges of the flap, but not to the entire flap.