GB1596089A - Bags - Google Patents

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO BAGS (71) We, BEMROSE UK LIMITED, a company registered in England, having is registered office at Waysgoose Drive, Derby, Derbyshire DE 2 6XP, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- The invention relates to a bag which can serve a further function as a mailing wrapper which term is to be understood as including a wrapper not necessarily intended for dispatch by postal services, and also as including an envelope within which contents may be enclosed.It is further to be understood that the invention applies to any bag of which, when empty, a pair of opposed sides (i.e., close together and particularly to a satchel bag or a gussetted bag, and any such bag is referred to in this specification and claims as a flat bag as aforesaid.

The object of the invention is to provide a bag which, having served its conventional role as a container for goods, may be readily adapted to the form of a mailing wrapper for conveying a message, for example in relation to the said goods.

According to the invention there is provided a flat bag as aforesaid of flexible material, open at one edge and marked on at least one outer face to indicate where the bag may be folded so that a portion spaced from the open edge in the flat form of the bag can, in the folded form of the bag be inserted into the bag at the open edge to form a mailing wrapper.

Preferably the bag is rectangular and the markings indicate fold lines which are parallel to the open edge and spaced apart to provide, in the folded form of the bag, an exposed area for a postal address. An address may be printed in the area.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings of which Fig. 1 shows an outer face of a flat, flexible bag; Fig. 2 shows the bag of Fig. I in partially folded form; and Fig. 3 shows the bag of Fig. 1 adapted to the form of an envelope.

The bag of Fig. 1 is open at the top edge 1 and closed at the bottom edge 3 and at the sides 5. It is formed with conventional bottom seam 7 and side seam 9 and whilst in this embodiment is a satchel bag it may, without departing from the invention, take the form of a gussetted bag which can be folded flat.

The face of the bag shown in Fig. 1 is marked with fold lines 11 and 13 parallel to edge 1 and spaced respectively from edges 1 and 3 by distances not greater than the distance between one another. Line 11 is indicated as FOLD A and the portion of the bag between line 11 and edge 1 carries instructions for converting the bag into a mailing wrapper.

Line 13 is marked as FOLD B and the portion of the face of the bag between line 13 and edge 3 provides a space for a message including, for example, the name and address of the sender.

The portion of the face of the bag between lines 11 and 13 is printed with an address and other indicia.

The reverse face 15 of the bag, shown in Fig. 2, carries an advertising message. Fig. 2 shows the bag of Fig. 1 having been folded along lines 13 and 11 approximately 900 away from the face shown in Fig. 1 so as to provide a flap 17 and an open pocket 19 into which the flap 17 can be fitted.

Fig. 3 shows the flap 17 having been inserted into the pocket 19 to form a mailing wrapper which, with further folding along lines 13 and 11 may be made substantially flat.

The bag may fulfil either or both of the functions of containing goods and, adapted as a mailing wrapper, of conveying messages. A message may be written on the portion 17 of the outer face of the bag between edge 3 and iine 13 or on face 15 or both, and such message will be concealed when the bag is folded into the form of a mailing wrapper. An article such as a card may be inserted into the bag and located between lines 13 and 11 before the bag is folded at those lines and formed into a mailing wrapper, so that the wrapper may be used to convey the card which may also carry a message.

In other embodiments of the invention the lines 11 and 13 may be dotted and in yet other embodiments the indications of where the bag may be folded may comprise markings merely at the edges 5 of the bag.

The markings may be printed markings or may be provided by embossing or by perforation or by other suitable and conventional means.

The bag may be made of paper but other suitable materials such as plastics material may be employed.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A flat bag as aforesaid of flexible material open at one edge and marked on at least one outer face to indicate where the bag may be folded so that a portion spaced from the open edge in the flat form of the bag can, in the folded form of the bag be inserted into the bag at the open edge to form a mailing wrapper.

2. A bag according to Claim 1 which is rectangular and in which the indicated fold lines are parallel to the open edge and spaced apart to provide, in the folded form of the bag, an exposed area for a postal address.

3. A bag as claimed in Claim 2 having an address printed in the area provided therefor.

4. A flat bag substantially as described with reference to the drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (4)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. mailing wrapper. An article such as a card may be inserted into the bag and located between lines 13 and 11 before the bag is folded at those lines and formed into a mailing wrapper, so that the wrapper may be used to convey the card which may also carry a message. In other embodiments of the invention the lines 11 and 13 may be dotted and in yet other embodiments the indications of where the bag may be folded may comprise markings merely at the edges 5 of the bag. The markings may be printed markings or may be provided by embossing or by perforation or by other suitable and conventional means. The bag may be made of paper but other suitable materials such as plastics material may be employed. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A flat bag as aforesaid of flexible material open at one edge and marked on at least one outer face to indicate where the bag may be folded so that a portion spaced from the open edge in the flat form of the bag can, in the folded form of the bag be inserted into the bag at the open edge to form a mailing wrapper.

2. A bag according to Claim 1 which is rectangular and in which the indicated fold lines are parallel to the open edge and spaced apart to provide, in the folded form of the bag, an exposed area for a postal address.

3. A bag as claimed in Claim 2 having an address printed in the area provided therefor.

4. A flat bag substantially as described with reference to the drawings.