BAGGING SYSTEM

• US 20090232420A1
• Filed: 02/18/2009
• Published: 09/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Waste Solutions, LLC
• Original Assignee: The Waste Solutions, LLC
• Inventors: Eisenberg, Mikel, Brown, Kristen
• Granted Patent: US 7,992,879 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 383/15
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/008 for making water- or air-tight
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 3/001 Flexible materials therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 3/04 Shopping bags; Shopping nets
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 7/0077 collapsible to a minimal configuration, e.g. for storage purposes

Abstract

A reusable packaging system includes a series of four bags, each designed to be reusable and capable of standing upright when in an open state. The bags are constructed so that they will fit in an open state within a shopping cart, and differ progressively in size so that they can be nested inside of each other for storage. The nested bags are then folded to form a compact, single package which can be easily transported by a user to a store for shopping.

Claims

1. A bagging system, comprising:

a plurality of bags, each bag comprising;

a front panel,

a rear panel,

two side panels, and

a bottom panel, wherein the side and bottom panels include pleats configured for folding the bag into a flattened state,

wherein each one of the plurality of bags has a cross-sectional area in a plane parallel to the bottom panel of the bag and in an open state that is either greater or less than the cross-sectional area of each of the others of the plurality of bags, and the bags are nested one into another in the open state, and folded together into the flattened state by collapsing the pleated side and bottom panels to form a compact package.

2. The bagging system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of bags comprises four bags.

3. The bagging system of claim 2, wherein the four bags are further configured to be de-nested and placed together in an open state within a conventional grocery cart.

4. The bagging system of claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of bags having a smallest cross-sectional area in the plane parallel to the bottom panel of the bag in an open state further comprises one or more partitions in an interior area of the bag.

5. The bagging system of claim 4, wherein the one or more partitions are formed from an elasticized material.

6. The bagging system of claim 4, wherein the partitions comprise a plurality of partitions that are configured in a grid.

7. The bagging system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the plurality of bags is an insulated bag for carrying hot or cold items.

8. The bagging system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the plurality of bags is water-resistant.

9. The bagging system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the plurality of bags further comprises a closable top panel.

10. The bagging system of claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of bags further comprises handles configured for carrying the bag.

11. The bagging system of claim 10, wherein the handles are formed from a single strip of material affixed to the front, rear and bottom panels of the bag.

12. The bagging system of claim 11, wherein:

a first portion of the strip is affixed to the front panel on a left side of the bag,

the first portion is extended to form a first loop above the bag,

a second portion of the strip extends from the first loop,

the second portion is affixed to the rear panel on a right side of the bag,

a third portion of the strip is affixed to the front panel on a right side of the bag,

the third portion is extended in a second loop above the bag,

a fourth portion of the strip extends from the second loop,

the fourth portion is affixed to the rear panel on a left side of the bag, and

the first loop crosses the second loop form a crossed grip portion of the handle.

13. The bagging system of claim 1, wherein the front, rear and side panels of at least one of the plurality of bags are free-standing when the bag is in the open state.

14. The bagging system of claim 13, wherein the front, rear and side panels comprise polypropylene.

15. The bagging system of claim 1, wherein each one of the plurality of bags further comprises a fold line extending vertically along a central axis of each of the front and rear panels, and the nested, flattened bags are folded about respective fold lines to form a more compact package.

16. A method for forming a bagging system, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of bags, each bag comprising;

a front panel,

a rear panel,

two side panels, and

a bottom panel,

wherein the side and bottom panels include pleats configured for folding the bag into a flattened state, and wherein each one of the plurality of bags has a cross-sectional area in a plane parallel to the bottom panel of the bag and in an open state that is either greater or less than the cross-sectional area of each of the others of the plurality of bags;

nesting the plurality of bags in the open state by placing each bag having a cross-sectional area less that one or more of the other bags within the one of the one or more other bags having a smallest cross-sectional area among the one or more other bags; and

folding the nested bags together into the flattened state by collapsing the pleated side and bottom panels to form a compact package.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the steps of:

providing each one of the plurality of bags further with a fold line extending vertically along a central axis of each of the front and rear panels, and

folding the nested, flattened bags about respective fold lines to form a more compact package.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of:

providing at least one of the plurality of bags with handles configured for carrying the bag.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of providing handles for the at least one bag further comprises the step of;

forming the handles for the at least one bag from a single strip of material affixed to the front, rear and bottom panels of the bag.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of affixing the single strip of material further comprises the steps of:

affixing a first portion of the strip to the front panel on a left side of the bag;

extending the first portion in a first loop above the bag;

extending a second portion of the strip from the first loop;

affixing the second portion to the rear panel on a right side of the bag;

affixing a third portion of the strip to the front panel on a right side of the bag;

extending the third portion in a second loop above the bag;

extending a fourth portion of the strip from the second loop; and

affixing the fourth portion to the rear panel on a left side of the bag;

wherein

the first loop crosses the second loop form a crossed grip portion of the handle.