Easy open plastic bags

Abstract

A woven laminated plastic bag having features that prevent leakage of contents out of the bag, or infestation of organisms into the contents of the bag is provided. The bag can provide a top end and a bottom end that provide a discrete area that may contain discrete graphics or printing. The bag can also include an easy open feature that can be easily opened with less force than a sealed closure of the bag. The easy open feature may be oriented in various directions with respect to the bag.

1 .- 60 . (canceled) 
     
     
         61 . A bag comprising:
 a front wall, a back wall, a first side wall, and a second side wall, wherein the first side wall and the second side wall are disposed on opposite sides of the front wall and the back wall and connect the front wall to the back wall, forming the bag having a top end and a bottom end;   wherein each of the front wall, the back wall, the first side wall and the second side wall comprise at least two laminated layers further comprising (i) a first layer comprising woven oriented polypropylene or polyethylene strips, and (ii) a second layer comprising an oriented polypropylene or polyethylene film; and   wherein a portion of the front wall or a portion of the back wall is adapted to form a sealed closure of the bag; and   an easy open feature on the front wall of the bag, and wherein the easy open feature defines a line that is oriented vertically or diagonally with respect to the top end of the bag, and wherein the easy open feature comprises a plurality of cuts or perforations penetrating at least partially through the front wall of the bag.   
     
     
         62 . The bag of  claim 61 , wherein the plurality of cuts or perforations define a central portion and a first line extending in a first direction from the central portion and a second line extending in a second direction from the central portion. 
     
     
         63 . The bag of  claim 61 , wherein the easy open feature enables opening of the bag when the easy open feature is pulled in a first direction, and the easy open feature does not enable opening of the bag when the easy open feature is pulled in a second direction opposite the first direction. 
     
     
         64 . The bag of  claim 61  wherein the top end is sealed without an adhesive. 
     
     
         65 . The bag of  claim 62 , wherein the easy open feature further defines curves at each end of the first line and the second line. 
     
     
         66 . The bag of  claim 61 , wherein the cuts or perforations extend at least partially through the second layer. 
     
     
         67 . The bag of  claim 66 , wherein the cuts or perforations are located adjacent to an end of the bag at a first distance from 10% to 30% of a second distance from the top end to the bottom end of the front wall. 
     
     
         68 . The bag of  claim 66 , wherein the cuts or perforations extend over a length from 10% to 90% of a width of the bag. 
     
     
         69 . The bag of  claim 61 , wherein the cuts or perforations include an H-shaped puncture area. 
     
     
         70 . The bag of  claim 61 , wherein the cuts or perforations are covered by a sealing tape. 
     
     
         71 . The bag of  claim 61 , wherein the easy open feature comprises a cut in a rectangular shape and a tape covering the cut. 
     
     
         72 . The bag of  claim 61 , wherein the sealed closure exhibits less than a 3% failure rate when the bag is subjected to a drop test in accordance with ASTM D5276 including hanging a filled bag at 145° F. for  72  hours followed by a 6 point drop test from a height of at least 4 feet, followed by storage at −27° F. for 24 hours followed by another 6 point drop test from a height of at least 4 feet. 
     
     
         73 . The bag of  claim 61 , wherein the sealed closure exhibits less than a 3% failure rate when the bag is subjected to a drop test in accordance with ASTM D5276 including hanging a filled bag at 145° F. for 144 hours followed by a 10 point drop test from a height of at least 4 feet followed by storage at −27° F. for 72 hours followed by another 10 point drop test from at height of at least 4 feet. 
     
     
         74 . The bag of  claim 61 , wherein the first layer further comprises at least one of polypropylene, oriented polypropylene, high density polyethylene, low density polyethylene, oriented polyethylene, and polyester. 
     
     
         75 . The bag of  claim 61 , wherein the first layer further comprises at least one of polypropylene, polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, oriented polypropylene, oriented polyethylene, and polyamide. 
     
     
         76 . The bag of  claim 61 , wherein the second layer further comprises at least one of biaxially-oriented polypropylene, oriented polypropylene, biaxially-oriented polyethylene, oriented polyethylene, oriented polyethylene terephthalate, biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate, oriented polyamide, biaxially-oriented polyamide, and coated paper. 
     
     
         77 . The bag of  claim 61 , wherein the bag further comprises a third layer and the third layer further comprises at least one of polypropylene, polyethylene, polyester, polyethylene terephthalate, and polyamide. 
     
     
         78 . A bag comprising:
 a front wall, a back wall, a first side wall, and a second side wall, each having an interior surface and an exterior surface and a first end and a second end,   wherein the first end of the back wall extends beyond the first end of the front wall and is adapted to fold over the first end of the front wall and form an overlay portion,   wherein each of the front wall, the back wall, the first side wall, and the second side wall comprises a first layer and a second layer, and wherein the first layer and the second layer comprise polyethylene, polypropylene, or a combination thereof, and wherein the first layer and the second layer are laminated together; and   an easy open feature on a wall of the bag, wherein the easy open feature defines a line that is oriented vertically or diagonally with respect to either the first end or the second end of the bag, and wherein the easy open feature comprises a plurality of cuts or perforations penetrating at least partially through the front wall of the bag, and wherein the cuts or perforations enable opening of the bag with less force than required for opening a sealed closure at the first end or second end of the bag.   
     
     
         79 . The bag of  claim 78 , wherein the easy open feature enables opening of the bag when the easy open feature is pulled in a first direction, and the easy open feature does not enable opening of the bag when the easy open feature is pulled in a second direction opposite the first direction. 
     
     
         80 . The bag of  claim 78 , wherein the first end is sealed without an adhesive. 
     
     
         81 . The bag of  claim 78 , wherein the cuts or perforations extend at least partially through the second layer. 
     
     
         82 . The bag of  claim 80 , wherein the cuts or perforations are located adjacent to an end of the bag at a first distance from 10% to 30% of a second distance from the first end to the second end of the bag. 
     
     
         83 . The bag of  claim 81 , wherein the cuts or perforations are located adjacent to an end of the bag at a first distance from 10% to 30% of a second distance from the first end to the second end of the front wall. 
     
     
         84 . The bag of  claim 81 , wherein the cuts or perforations extend over a length from 15% to 85% of a width of the bag. 
     
     
         85 . The bag of  claim 78 , wherein the easy open feature is covered by a sealing tape. 
     
     
         86 . A method of making a bag, comprising the steps of:
 providing a bag having a first bag wall, a second bag wall, a first side wall and a second side wall, with the first bag wall and the second bag wall opposing each other, and wherein each bag wall comprises at least a first polymeric layer and a second layer, with the bag defining a first end and a second end, wherein the first bag wall extends beyond the second bag wall and each of the bag walls have an interior surface and an exterior surface;   folding a portion of the first bag wall extending beyond the end of the second bag wall over the end of the second bag wall and contacting a portion of the interior surface of the first bag wall proximal the end of the first bag wall with a portion of the exterior surface of the second bag wall proximal the end of the second bag wall, thereby creating an overlay portion of the first bag wall and the second bag wall;   applying at least one of heat and pressure to a first portion of the overlay portion of the first bag wall and the second bag wall to form a seal at the first portion of the overlay portion; and   forming an easy open feature on a wall of the bag, further comprising at least partially perforating at least a portion of the first bag wall with a plurality of perforations defining a line that is oriented vertically or diagonally with respect to the end of the bag.   
     
     
         87 . The method of  claim 86 , further comprising removably attaching a cover over the plurality of perforations, wherein a first peel strength of the cover is higher when the cover is pulled in a perpendicular direction to a wall of the bag as compared to a second peel strength when the cover is pulled in a non-perpendicular direction to the wall. 
     
     
         88 . The method of  claim 87 , wherein a difference between the first peel strength and the second peel strength is due to a difference in treatment of at least one wall surface of the bag. 
     
     
         89 . The method of  claim 88 , wherein the difference in treatment comprises a difference in at least one of: an adhesive, a sealant, an applied temperature, a pressure, and an ionization of a wall surface of the bag. 
     
     
         90 . The method of  claim 89 , wherein the treatment comprises applying at least one of: a polyurethane ink, a polyamide ink, and a nitrocellulose ink. 
     
     
         91 . The method of  claim 86 , wherein the first end is sealed without an adhesive. 
     
     
         92 . The method of  claim 86 , wherein forming the easy open feature further comprises:
 forming the easy open feature in at least one of: the first bag wall, the second bag wall, the first side wall, and the second side wall.   
     
     
         93 . The method of  claim 86 , wherein forming the easy open feature further comprises:
 forming a weakened area in a wall of the bag.   
     
     
         94 . The method of  claim 93 , wherein the weakened area further defines end curves. 
     
     
         95 . The method of  claim 94 , wherein the perforations extend at least partially through the second layer. 
     
     
         96 . The method of  claim 95 , wherein the perforations are located proximal an end of the bag at a first distance from 10% to 30% of a second distance from the first end to the second end of the bag. 
     
     
         97 . The method of  claim 94 , wherein the perforations extend over a length from 15% to 85% of a width of the bag. 
     
     
         98 . The method of  claim 94 , wherein the perforations further define a central portion. 
     
     
         99 . The method of  claim 86 , wherein the easy open feature comprises a cut in a rectangular shape and a tape covering the cut.