Bag and Method for Closure thereof

Field of the Invention

The present invention concerns a bag of the kind indicated in the preamble of claim 1.

The invention also concerns a method for closing a bag according to the invention.

Background of the Invention

After filling with filler, e.g. sand, prior art bags of this kind are usually intended for closing by collecting the remaining end part of the bag and binding it together by means of a cord, the free ends of which are tied with a knot. Normally, bags of this type are provided with a closure cord fastened at a side of a filling opening.

If sand is e.g. to be emptied out of such bags, the closure cord is simply cut and the sand is poured out. In other words, the closure cord associated with the bag will be destroyed at the opening of the bag for emptying its contents, implying the drawback that in case of reuse, the bag is to be provided with a new closure cord.

Object of the Invention

On this background, the invention has the purpose of indicating a new and improved bag of the kind mentioned in the introduction, and which by means of simple measures can provide substantially improved possibilities of application for the bag.

Description of the Invention

The bag according to the invention is characterised in that at an open end, the bag is made with an annular turned-in edge which is fastened along opposing side edges of the bag. By simple measures is hereby achieved a very significant application improvement of a bag of the mentioned type. The bag according to the invention is furthermore peculiar by the fact that it may be reused and reclosed several times without using any additional aids.

The bag according to the invention is preferably designed so that the turned-in edge constitutes a closure which is bent backwards externally of the bag as a sleeve, and which is fastened to the bag along opposing side edges, e.g. by means of a seam.

The bag according to the invention is suitably designed so that the length of the sleeve-shaped closure amounts to in the order of one third of the width of the bag.

In a preferred embodiment, the bag according to the invention is designed so that the length of the sleeve-shaped closure (16) is 120 - 130 mm, that the width of the bag is 250 - 400 mm, and that the length of the bag is 630 - 700 mm.

Advantageously, the bag according to the invention is designed so that the fastening of the sleeve-shaped closure along opposing side edges of the bag is constituted by a strongly sewn seam, e.g. a staggered seam or a welded seam.

The bag according to the invention is preferably made so that it is made of a tubular woven material of PP (polypropylene) or PE (polyethylene) and with a transverse bottom closure in the form of a sewn seam and with an annular edge seam of a turned- in edge at the open end of the bag where the sleeve-shaped closure is formed.

The bag according to the invention may alternatively be made so that it is made of a tubular woven material of PP (polypropylene) or PE (polyethylene) and with a transverse bottom closure in the form of a welded seam and with an annular edge welding of a turned-in edge at the open end of the bag where the sleeve-shaped closure is formed.

With the object of obtaining a more secure closing of the bag according to the invention, this may advantageously be designed so that a free transverse edge of the sleeve-shaped closure is shortened by means of an edge fold which is fixed by means of a short longitudinal seam.

The invention also concerns a method for closing an e.g. sand-filled bag with a closure according to the invention, the method being characterised in that a side part of the external sleeve-shaped closure is turned over the open end of the bag and passed downwards externally at the opposite side of the bag, until the side part is disposed at the opposite side of the bag externally of the other side part of the external sleeve- shaped closure, i.e. so that an effective labyrinthine closure of the bag is formed.

An important aspect of the bag and the method according to the invention is the possibility of filling, closing, emptying and reclosing the bag several times, without having to dispose of external means for efficient closing of the bag.

Description of the Drawing

The invention is now explained more closely in connection with the drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a plane view of an embodiment of a bag according to the invention; Fig. 2 shows a partial view of the bag shown in Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 3 shows a partial view of the bag shown in Fig. 1 with open filling opening; Fig. 4 shows a perspective view of a bag, cf. Fig. 1, partly filled with sand; Fig. 5 shows a perspective view of a bag, cf. Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 shows a perspective partial view of a filled and closed bag, cf. Fig. 1; Fig. 7 shows a perspective view of a filled and closed bag according to the invention; Fig. 8 shows a perspective view of a filled and closed bag according to the invention

(to the right) and a filled and closed bag of prior art (to the left); Fig. 9 shows a perspective partial view of a filled and closed bag according to the invention (to the left) and a filled and closed bag of prior art (to the right); and Fig. 10 shows a partial view of a modified embodiment of a bag according to the invention.

Detailed Description of the Invention The bag 2 shown in Figs. 1 -7 is made of a tubular woven material, which is cut off at a suitable length of e.g. about 800 mm. An end part 4 of the bag.2 is closed by means of a turned-in edge and a transversely sewn seam 6. At an opposite open end 8 of the bag 2, there is made a turned-in edge 10 which is subsequently attached with an annular sewn seam 12. After that, a sleeve-shaped closure 16 (Figs. 2 and 3) has been formed at a free edge part 14 of the open end 8 of the bag in that an edge part 18 of the bag 2 with a length of about 120 mm has been bent back externally of the open end 8 of the bag, after which the external backwards bent sleeve is connected with the bag 2 at

opposing side edges 18 of the bag by means of a longitudinal strong sewn seam 20, preferably a staggered seam.

When the bag 2 has been filled with e.g. sand (Figs. 4 and 5), the open end 8 of the bag 2 is closed in that a side of the sleeve-formed closure 16 is moved across the open end 8 of the bag and passed downwards externally of the back-bent closure part at the opposite side (Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9) so that a labyrinthine closure of the open end 8 of the bag is established.

To the left on Fig. 8 appears a prior art sandbag which is closed in a know way by means of a closure string 22, whereas to the right appears a bag 2 according to the invention with a closure 16. In Fig. 9 appears a closed end part 8 of a bag according to the invention whereas to the right is seen a closed end part of a prior art bag.

Fig. 10 serves to illustrate how a free transverse edge part 24 of the sleeve-formed closure 16 may be shortened by means of a longitudinal short edge fold 26 which is fixed by means of a corresponding short sewn seam 28. Such a shortened edge part 24 has the purpose of making efficient the action of the labyrinthine closure of a bag according to the invention.

The bag according to the invention is made of material which is dyed in application- specific colours, as the bag has an appropriate camouflage colour for military purposes. For constructing dikes and the like, the bag may suitably be olive green or sand coloured.

With regard to satisfying any known purpose, the bag according to the invention is preferably designed so that the length of the sleeve-shaped closure (16) is 120 - 130 mm, that the width of the bag is 250 - 400 mm, and that the length of the bag is 630 - 700 mm.

In other words, the bag has, e.g. when filled with sand, a length which is about twice the width, which is advantageous when bags are stacked in a bond. The UN is e.g.

operating with a standard size on sandbags of 400 x 700 mm, i.e. the length of the bag when filled with sand is slightly shorter than twice the width.

Finally, it is to be mentioned that within the scope of the invention, the bag according to the invention may be used for packing purposes in general, e.g. for packing fuel, e.g. wood pellets; feed pellets; vegetables as e.g. potatoes; clams or other shellfish, e.g. shrimps; other kinds of pelletised goods; hardware like chains of metal or plastic, screws, nails or bolts. For packing purposes, the bag may have any desired colour or be made of transparent plastic. The bag may of course according to need be provided with print in the shape of text, logo etc.