Elastic drawstring trash bag

• US 8,523,439 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2009
• Issued: 09/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Poly-America LP (Poly-America)
• Original Assignee: Poly-America LP (Poly-America)
• Inventors: Ross, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pascua, Jes F
• Application Number:
  US12/414,560
• Publication Number:
  US 20100247002A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,618 Days
• Field of Search: 383/75, 220/495.11, 248/99
• US Class Current: 383/75
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 33/28 Strings or strip-like closures , i.e. draw closures
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 1/0006 Flexible refuse receptables, e.g. bags, sacks

Abstract

The present invention relates to polymeric bags, particularly polymeric drawstring trash bags. The present invention comprises a trash bag having an elastic drawstring. The elastic drawstring trash bag features a short seal and an inner seal at each upper corner of the drawstring trash bag. The short seal and inner seal are separated by a small unsealed area. The inner seal serves to reduce the upper opening of the drawstring trash bag, while the elastic drawstring utilized with the bag provides a bag that allows the bag to fit snugly on many common trash receptacles.

Claims

1. A drawstring trash bag comprising:

a first panel and a second panel, the first panel and the second panel joined along three edges of the first panel and the second panel, a fourth edge of the first panel and the second panel defining an upper opening of the drawstring trash bag,

a first elastic drawstring provided within a first hem formed in the first panel along the upper edge of the drawstring trash bag, the first elastic drawstring being the only drawstring within the first hem,

a second elastic drawstring provided within a second hem formed in the second panel along the upper edge of the drawstring trash bag, the second elastic drawstring being the only drawstring within the second hem,

a first and second short seal, each short seal welding together the first panel, the first elastic drawstring, the second elastic drawstring and the second panel, wherein the first short seal is within a first upper corner area and proximate to a first side edge of the drawstring trash bag and the second short seal is within a second upper corner area and proximate to a second side edge of the drawstring trash bag,

a first inner seal, the first inner seal welding together the first panel, the first elastic drawstring, the second elastic drawstring and the second panel, wherein the first inner seal is spaced inwardly from the first short seal, and

the first upper corner area, defined by the first short seal and the first inner seal, is an inseparable portion of the first and second panel.

2. The drawstring trash bag of claim 1 further comprising:

a first drawstring access cutout centrally located along an upper edge of the first panel and a second drawstring access cutout centrally located along an upper edge of the second panel, the first and second elastic drawstrings being accessible through the respective first and second drawstring access cutouts.

3. The drawstring bag of claim 1, wherein the first short seal and the first inner seal are separated by a first unsealed area.

4. The drawstring bag of claim 1, wherein the first and second short seal are both substantially rectangular in shape and wherein the first inner seal is substantially rectangular in shape.

5. The drawstring bag of claim 1, wherein the first short seal and the first inner seal are of a substantially identical area.

6. A drawstring trash bag comprising:

a first panel and a second panel, the first panel and the second panel joined along three edges of the first panel and the second panel, a fourth edge of the first panel and the second panel defining an upper opening of the drawstring trash bag,

a first elastic drawstring provided within a first hem formed in the first panel along the upper edge of the drawstring trash bag, the first elastic drawstring being the only drawstring within the first hem,

a second elastic drawstring provided within a second hem formed in the second panel along the upper edge of the drawstring trash bag, the second elastic drawstring being the only drawstring within the second hem,

a first and second short seal, each short seal welding together the first panel, the first elastic drawstring, the second elastic drawstring and the second panel, wherein the first short seal is within a first upper corner area of the drawstring trash bag and the second short seal is within a second upper corner area of the drawstring trash bag,

a first and second inner seal, each inner seal also welding together the first panel, the first elastic drawstring, the second elastic drawstring and the second panel, wherein the first inner seal is along the upper edge of the drawstring trash bag and inwardly spaced from the first short seal and the second inner seal is along the upper edge of the drawstring trash bag and inwardly spaced from the second short seal,

the first upper corner area, defined by the first short seal and the first inner seal, is an inseparable portion of the first and second panel, and

the second upper corner area, defined by the second short seal and the second inner seal, is an inseparable portion of the first and second panel.

7. The drawstring trash bag of claim 6 further comprising:

a first drawstring access cutout centrally located along an upper edge of the first panel and a second drawstring access cutout centrally located along an upper edge of the second panel, the first and second drawstrings being accessible through the respective first and second drawstring access cutouts.

8. The drawstring bag of claim 6, wherein the first short seal and the first inner seal are separated by a first unsealed area, and the second short seal and the second inner seal are separated by a second unsealed area.

9. The drawstring bag of claim 6, wherein the first and second short seal are both substantially rectangular in shape and wherein the first and second inner seal are both substantially rectangular in shape.

10. The drawstring bag of claim 6, wherein the first short seal and the first inner seal are of a substantially identical area and the second short seal and the second inner seal are of a substantially identical area.

11. The drawstring bag of claim 6, further comprising:

a first hem seal defining the bottom of the first hem, the first hem seal extending horizontally between opposite vertical edges of the first panel, and

a second hem seal defining the bottom of the second hem, the second hem seal extending horizontally between opposite vertical edges of the second panel.